Kyrgyzstan seems to have lost the original copy of its 2010 constitution.
Kyrgyzstan has had three constitutions: the original 1993 post-independence document which was amended twice before and twice after the 2005 Tulip Revolution, a constitution passed by referendum in 2007, and the present constitution passed by referendum in 2010 after the second revolution.
On October 19, Kyrgyz Parliament held a sitting for discussing the bill on referendum aimed at inserting amendments to the current Constitution. At the sitting, it was found out that neither the Presidential Administration nor other governmental authorities know where the original Constitution is, according to Kazinform.
MP Almambet Shykmamatov, representing Ata Meken Faction, warned that if the Presidential Administration does not find the original Constitution, legitimacy of all three branches of power – President, Parliament and Government – will be automatically questioned.
Justice Minister Jyldyz Mambetaliyeva noted that her office has a copy of 2010 constitution, but that the original is held by the presidential administration.
That was contradicted by Moldakun Abdyldayev, the presidential administration’s liaison to parliament. “We assumed that it was with the Justice Ministry. Now the minister is confirming that there is no original. That raises the question: where is the original?” Abdyldayev told parliament.
MP Shykmamatov demanded that the Presidential Administration staff be brought to responsibility.
“The original Constitution must be kept by the Presidential Administration, but not by the Justice Ministry or the Prosecutor General’s Office. If you can’t find it, then legitimacy of all three branches of power – President, Parliament and Government – must be automatically questioned,” added Shykmamatov.
“Today we have learnt that the Presidential Administration is not aware of the location of the original Constitution. It means that we are at a deadlock,” MP said.
Despite the impasse over the location or even formal existence of the 2010 constitution, Kyrgyz MPs overwhelming approved (90 for, 14 against) the second reading of a bill to hold the December referendum, EurasiaNet.org said, noting that the third and final reading is normally considered a formality, so the road to the vote is now all but clear.
