President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov re-vetoed the controversial draft law on trade unions. Chairman of the Central Committee of the Mining and Metallurgical Trade Union, Eldar Tadzhibaev, told.
According to him, the document, adopted by the deputies on June 30, 2021, was returned to the Parliament again with the objections of the head of state. In May, Sadyr Japarov also returned the draft law on trade unions, adopted on March 31, 2021, for revision.
According to the first objections of the head of state, the deputies had to finalize the draft law and prepare an agreed version. At the same time, representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, the trade unions themselves and associations of employers were to be included in the composition of the conciliation commission. But this was not done.
«The document was adopted by the deputies and sent for signing again in its unfinished variant. The draft law, passed on June 30, to the greater extend violates international norms and establishes strict frameworks and conditions for the activities of representative bodies of workers, including the Federation of Trade Unions. Moreover, the draft law includes a whole chapter, which sets rather detailed conditions for the formation of working bodies, the timing and procedure for electing the governing bodies of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan. These conditions must be established by the statutes of the Federation. An absolute monopoly was established for the Federation as the only trade union body — the social partner of the highest state power in Kyrgyzstan. Many articles are vague and contradict each other,» Eldar Tadzhibaev told.
In addition, the document provided for the financing by the Cabinet of Ministers of the activities of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan. But this is not provided for by the law on the republican budget. In addition, its signing could affect the participation of Kyrgyzstan in the GSP + program, which gives the right to duty-free trade with the EU countries. The Cabinet of Ministers gave a negative opinion on it, noting that many of their recommendations were not taken into account.
«Objections of the International Labor Organization, international trade union associations, and non-governmental organizations have been sent to the country’s leadership. The Presidential Administration received about 70,000 signatures of citizens against this bill. The deputies have to revise the draft law. Moreover, for the sake of objectivity, the presentation of the bill and the president’s objections in Parliament has been entrusted to the Ministry of Health and Social Development,» Eldar Tadzhibaev said.
