Vigenin in Bishkek: The EU offers a real alternative and support for a more independent and secure Kyrgyzstan

A European Parliament mission visited Bishkek for talks on relations between the European Union and Kyrgyzstan. MEPs Kristian Vigenin, member of the EP Delegation for relations with Central Asia, and Nacho Sánchez Amor, EP rapporteur on Kyrgyzstan, held meetings with Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Ayaz Baetov and Speaker of Parliament Marlen Mamataliev. The two also met the Ombudsman of Kyrgyzstan, Jamilya Jamanbaeva. Besides the meetings with officials, Vigenin and Amor met representatives of NGOs and human rights organisations, as well as independent media and journalists.

In the talks in Bishkek, the MEPs stressed the need to use the political stabilisation in Kyrgyzstan to carry out reforms that strengthen the economy and focus on fighting poverty. The ratification of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed between the EU and Kyrgyzstan was also raised. “We understand Kyrgyzstan’s geographical and geopolitical position well, but the European Union, though geographically distant, is politically close and offers a real alternative and support for a more independent and secure Kyrgyzstan,” Kristian Vigenin told the hosts.

Before that, the two MEPs visited in prison the leaders of the Social Democratic Party detained by the authorities more than six months ago: Temirlan Sultanbekov, who is also Vice-President of the Socialist International, and Kadyrbek Atambaev, son of the country’s former president Almazbek Atambaev. Vigenin and Amor called for better conditions for the detainees, release from pre-trial detention and a faster investigation, with a view either to dropping the charges or allowing a swift and fair trial.