'Political stability will end Kyrgyzstan's economic crisis'

By Nazir Aliyev Tayfur

BISHKEK (AA) – Kyrgyzstan’s economic crisis will end in a couple of years if political stability is achieved, a Kyrgyz leader said Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference, Sadyr Japarov, who won Sunday’s presidential elections according to unofficial results, said a year or two is not enough to solve the country’s problems.

"If political stability is achieved, I will get Kyrgyzstan out of the economic crisis within three to four years," Japarov stated.

Pointing out that corruption has taken root in every area of the country over the past 30 years, he stressed that everyone should support the state by shouldering responsibility in the fight against it.

Japarov said voters elected him to fight corruption.

"We will not repeat the mistakes of the previous government. We will stay away from political oppression. We will not tolerate those who violate the rule of law," he said.

The former prime minister told Anadolu Agency they will make efforts to strengthen Kazakh-Turkish relations.

Nurjan Shaildabekova, president of the Central Election Commission, told reporters that Japarov secured around 79% of the vote, citing preliminary results.

The country also voted to decide on its form of government: parliamentary, presidential, or no change.

Shaildabekova said that around 34% of the voters voted in the referendum, with 81.2% of them voting for the presidential form of government.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan