KYRGYZ SPEAKER RUNS AFOUL OF PRESIDENT, PARTY

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SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ SPEAKER RUNS AFOUL OF PRESIDENT, PARTY

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Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Speaker of Parliament Madumarov's $1 million
proposal to refurbish parliament drew harsh criticism from
the Kyrgyz White House and from members of his own Ak Jol
party as wasteful and unnecessary. Madumarov lashed out in
response, publicly criticizing Presidential Chief of Staff
Sadyrkulov and then-Ak Jol parliamentary faction leader
Ibraimova. Parliament's budget committee voted down the
refurbishment proposal, and Madumarov said he would initiate
a no-confidence vote against himself. The Ak Jol faction in
parliament is reportedly considering the recall of Madumarov
from the Speaker's chair. Ibraimova, who was appointed Vice
Prime Minister on May 26 (septel),told DCM on May 28 that
Madumarov would be out as Speaker by the end of the week.
End Summary.

Madumarov's "Walnutgate"
--------------


2. (SBU) Speaker of Parliament Adakhan Madumarov's proposal
to refurbish the parliament building using seized wood
harvested illegally from Kyrgyzstan's state-protected walnut
forest sparked impassioned debate in parliament May 22-23.
Many parliamentarians argued that the renovation costs --
amounting to approximately $1 million -- would be excessive
and unnecessary. MPs also voiced their concern regarding
such a use of funds when a substantial portion of the
population lives below the poverty line.


3. (SBU) The Kyrgyz White House also expressed opposition to
the project, stating that the state budget could not support
such renovations. Presidential Chief of Staff Sadyrkulov
said President Bakiyev and the Cabinet had rejected the
initiative, noting that the parliament should set an example
of being fiscally conservative.


4. (SBU) In response, Madumarov lashed out at Sadyrkulov,
accusing him of not speaking on behalf of the president and
the people. He also accused Sadyrkulov of attempting to "sow
discord" between parliament and the White House, adding that
there would be "no progress" as long as Sadyrkulov remains in
office. Madumarov also accused then-Ak Jol parliamentary
faction head Elmira Ibraimova of using her position to turn
other lawmakers against him, cautioning that punishment for
her actions could follow. Madumarov claimed that he planned
to initiate a vote of no-confidence against himself. On May
23, Parliament's committee for economy, budget and finance
rejected Madumarov's proposal.


5. (SBU) Following the heated debate over refurbishment, on
May 26 President Bakiyev appointed Ibraimova to the post of
Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for social issues
(septel). She was replaced as Ak Jol faction leader by
Deputy Speaker Tursunbayev, who is reportedly close to
Madumarov. According to press reports, the Ak Jol faction
will consider the early recall of Madumarov from the post of
Speaker at a meeting on May 28.

Madumarov Out?
--------------


6. (C) On May 28, Vice PM Ibraimova told the DCM confidently
that Madumarov was "out" as Speaker because of his "unethical
behavior" that went beyond the single issue of the
refurbishment of parliament. She said that five Ak Jol
deputies had met Madumarov at the airport the evening of May
27 (Madumarov was returning from an official trip to Austria)
to tell him to resign as Speaker, or face being voted out by
the party. Ibraimova said that the Ak Jol faction was
meeting May 28 to discuss the Speaker's post, and she
expected that Madumarov would resign as Speaker by the end of
the week. Ibraimova did not say who she thought the next
Speaker would be, except to say that it would be someone from

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the Ak Jol party. She said there had been discussions within
the party about offering the post of Speaker to one of the
other parties in parliament, but that, in the end, the
decision was to nominate someone from within Ak Jol. She
expected a new Speaker to be nominated next week.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) Madumarov, whose abrasive style and autocratic
tendencies rub many the wrong way, may have pushed too far
with his criticism of Sadyrkulov and Ibraimova. Ibraimova is
well connected to the Krygyz White House: she is close
politically to Presidential Chief of Staff Sadyrkulov, her
sister is the deputy health minister, and her brother is the
deputy minister of foreign affairs. The White House -- and
President Bakiyev -- appears to have backed Ibraimova in this
dispute, rewarding her with a promotion to the post of deputy
prime minister, while demoting Madumarov. End Comment.
YOVANOVITCH