Work on preserving and strengthening the statehood should not stop for a minute. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov stated at the meeting of the Cabinet.
The speech of the head of the Cabinet was mainly devoted to the issues of strengthening and preserving the statehood of Kyrgyzstan. In general, his speech reflects the vision of how the country should develop and move forward despite internal and external challenges.
The press service of the Presidential Executive Office provided the text of Akylbek Japarov’s speech:
«Thirty years compressed into three years. This is how I would define the current historical situation. There is no unsubstantiated apologia of the work of the President and his team. Although there is much to be proud of. First of all, the pace set for the country, the pace that allows Kyrgyzstan to stay afloat, despite the turbulence of the modern world, because we, like in that fairy tale about Alice, have to run to stay in place.
There is no apologia, first of all, because there is confidence in the pure intentions of all our predecessors, despite all the mistakes they made. This approach is not only historically correct, but also promising. It lays the foundations of national harmony and unity — a guarantee not only of the existence, but also of the progressive development of the country. These are considerations that our president was guided by when he gathered all his predecessors at one table. In this sense, I am, in turn, grateful to everyone, who worked before me, because the experience they accumulated, both positive and negative, forms the basis of the work of the current Cabinet of Ministers. This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Region. The significance of this event cannot be overestimated. Then, 100 years ago, the foundation of the statehood of the Kyrgyz people, lost many centuries ago, was laid.
In this regard, one cannot but be amazed by the historical insight, political will and civic courage of the Kyrgyz elite of the early 20th century. The names of Zhusup Abdrakhmanov, Abdykadyr Orozbekov, Abdykerim Sydykov, Ishenaly Arabaev and many others are an unquenchable example of service to the people both for us and for all subsequent generations.
In a difficult and dangerous historical situation, having shown intelligence, will and courage, putting freedom and life itself at stake, they created our statehood.
Our duty to them and future generations is to preserve and develop what they have created. We cannot relax on this path. We should not believe, like Francis Fukuyama, that History has ended. The work of preserving and strengthening our statehood should not stop for a moment.
The modern world is unpredictable and dangerous as never before in the last half century. The world order that emerged after the Second World War is being reformatted. There is competition between economies, religions and ideologies. The fierce struggle of the world’s leading powers for spheres of influence, all these realities pose challenges for us no less difficult than for the founding fathers of the newest Kyrgyz statehood. The example that we should take from their activities is courage, determination and the ability to look far ahead.
For three years, the country has been living tensely, as it must live, in order not only to exist, but also to develop.
Since gaining independence, we have played many games: the initial accumulation of capital, wild capitalism, poorly understood liberalism. Unfortunately, all this without taking into account the historical, economic, geographical situation. We, like children, tried to imitate adults, acquiring the attributes of maturity, without their real content. But, unfortunately, there was no other way for us to grow up.
Two years ago we returned Kumtor mine to the people. I consider this a decisive milestone in the history of the formation of the country’s sovereignty. Its significance lies not only and not so much in the material plane, as is commonly believed, but in the spiritual, no matter how strange it may seem in relation to such a substance as gold.
The fact is that Kumtor is a mistake of our youth, the price for naivety and careless openness to the new world that had opened up.
Later, it turned into a cancerous tumor of corruption, which metastasized into all spheres of our lives. In these conditions, it was impossible to do without surgical intervention, and it was possible only with absolute sterility of thoughts. I am sure that it was with the elimination of this tumor that a new stage in the life of Kyrgyzstan began. What we see now: schools, roads under construction, rising salaries, pensions and benefits, filling the people’s treasury — is a direct consequence of the return of Kumtor.
Another problem that posed a serious threat to the state was the dominance of criminality. The latter phenomenon, during the years of inaction of the authorities, managed to deeply advance its ideology among the masses. So-called «starshaki», analogues of criminal authorities of the underworld, have appeared almost in kindergartens. Decisive and uncompromising steps of the country’s leadership have dealt a heavy blow to this dangerous phenomenon, and there is confidence that this is irreversible.
The leadership of Kyrgyzstan also shows steadfastness and political will in ensuring the security of the country. The concept of peace and harmony with neighbors, overcoming inevitable disputes and contradictions by peaceful, mutually beneficial and constructive methods are the basis of relations with neighbors. It will allow us to solve the problems left to us by our common past, when we lived in one country. All other alternatives are simply unacceptable.
Three years and 30 enterprises that are ready to earn money on these holidays. This is symbolic. Kyrgyzstan is confidently gaining momentum and moving forward. Happy holiday, dear compatriots!"
