EL OKULDOR PALATASY THE ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVES OF KYRGYZSTAN

A constitutional draft bill was adopted by referendum on February 2nd 2003. It shall notably provide the suppression of the Assembly of the People's Representatives, which represents territorial interests.

This reform shall come into force at the end ot the current life of Parliament, namely in 2005. 

I - COMPOSITION

45 members, directly elected.

II - ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Method of voting : 2-stage, by majority vote, uninominal.

Term of office : 5 years.

Most recent election : February 20 2000 (1st stage) ; March 5 2000 (2nd stage).

Elections for the Assembly of People's Representatives are held at the same time as those of the Legislative Assembly.

Eligibility conditions : Kyrgyz nationality, age over 25 years and at least 5 years residence in Kyrgyzstan, of which 3 must have been in the division concerned.

III - ORGANISATION OF SESSIONS

A - NORMAL SESSIONS

At least two normal sessions per year.

B - EXTRAORDINARY SESSIONS

In the event of the swearing in of the judges of the Constitutional Court or of a Message to the Nation by the Head of State.

IV - RELATIONS WITH THE OTHER CHAMBER AND THE EXECUTIVE

A - LEGISLATIVE POWERS

1) Powers to initiate legislation

The members of the Assembly of People's Representatives may table proposals for laws bearing on budgetary matters, the national territory and administrative organisation.

2) Right of amendment

No.

3) Legislative Procedure

a) Normal Procedure

Laws passed by the Legislative Assembly must be approved, by simple majority, by the Assembly of People's Representatives.

If rejected by the latter, the laws in question may however be definitively passed by the Legislative Assembly on second reading, by a 2/3 majority.

b) Laws within the specific competence of the Assembly of Peoples Representatives

Laws within the specific competence of the Assembly of People's Representatives (budget, administrative organisation and matters involving national territory) must be approved by the Legislative Assembly by simple majority ; if rejected, they can nevertheless be definitively passed by the Assembly of People's Representatives on second reading, but by a 2/3 majority.

B - REVIEW AND CONTROL POWERS

1) Voting a motion of censure

The Assembly of People's Representatives may vote a motion of censure against the Prime Minister.

2) Investiture of the Prime Minister

The Assembly of People's Representatives must approve the candidature of the Prime Minister.

3) Budgetary matters

The Assembly of People's Representatives presents their report on the execution of the Nation's budget.

4) The Assembly of People's Representatives hears the annual report of the Prime Minister, and also the annual reports of the Public Prosecutor and of the President of the National Bank.

C - RELATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

1) The Assembly of People's Representatives has competence over the setting of the date of presidential elections.

2) The Assembly of People's Representatives holds authority to dismiss the President of the Republic.

An outright dismissal of the President of the Republic must be registered by both chambers meeting jointly.

The President may be dismissed from his posts by the Assembly of People's Representatives, by a 2/3 majority, within a period of 2 months following his making a submission to the Legislative Assembly, the latter having itself passed by a 2/3 majority a motion for dismissal proposed by a special committee, created from among its own members for the occasion.

V - SPECIAL PROVISIONS

A - MODIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

The Assembly of People's Representatives introduces amendments to the Constitution.

These amendments must be then ratified by each of the two chambers by a 2/3 majority.

The capacity of recourse to a referendum exists, and this was used in October 1998.

B - INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

The Assembly of People's Representatives has competence to officially interpret the Constitution and laws which it has adopted.

C - MATTERS INVOLVING NATIONAL TERRITORY

The Assembly of People's Representatives has competence to:

- modify the frontiers of the Kyrgyz Republic;

- decide on constitutional issues involving the national territory and administration of the Republic.

D - POWERS OF APPOINTMENT

The Assembly of People's Representatives has competence to:

- approve the candidature of the Public Prosecutor;

- approve the candidature of the President of the National Bank;

- to elect or to discharge the President and holders of high offices in the Constitutional Court from their posts;

- to elect or to discharge the Presidents and holders of high offices in the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Arbitration from their posts;

- elect one third of the members of the Central Committee on Votes and Referendums;

- dismiss judges from their posts;

- elect one third of the members of the State Audit Office.