Sooronbay Jeenbekov voluntarily steps down as president

Bishkek, Oct. 16, 2020. /Kabar/. At Friday’s meeting of the Parliament, Sooronbay Jeenbekov officially announced the voluntary resignation of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. According to the Kyrgyz president’s press service, in his speech Jeenbekov briefly told about his activity during three years of presidency. Sooronbay Jeenbekov took office of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic exactly three years ago - on Oct. 15, 2017. He resigned on Thursday amid ongoing protests in Bishkek. The protest actions have started in Bishkek after the parliamentary elections, which were held in Kyrgyzstan on Oct. 4. According to preliminary results of the elections, 4 parties crossed the 7 % threshold to enter the parliament out of 16 political parties participated in the polls. The losing parties organized protests, demanding the annulment of the elections. The protests brought to clashes between police and protesters. Kyrgyzstan's Central Election Commission annulled the results of the elections on Oct 6 and now has to set a time for new parliamentary elections by Nov. 6. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sadyr Zhaparov declared himself Acting President of Kyrgyzstan. “President Sooronbay Jeenbekov wrote a letter of resignation. Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh Kanat Isayev refused to act as president and also wrote a statement. The powers of the president and the prime minister were transferred to me,” he said Thursday at a meeting with protesters in Bishkek.