The President of Kyrgyzstan, who took office on November 24, 2017, today for the first time met with the heads of the leading media outlets and foreign journalists, accredited with the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Kyrgyz Republic. Sooronbai Jeenbekov held a meeting in the questions and answers format.
The head of state was asked about his brother Asylbek Jeenbekov — how much he influences Sooronbai Jeenbekov himself, whether he intends to create his political party and what is the relationship in the family from the point of view of political views, taking into account a large family of the president.
«SDPK exists since 1995, it means — for more than 20 years. During the presidential elections in 2009, Almazbek Atambayev was the prime minister, Asylbek — a deputy of the Parliament. Then twice he (the younger brother) was elected to Parliament. In the most difficult times, Asylbek always was with SDPK,» Sooronbai Jeenbekov said.
He called Asylbek Jeenbekov’s intentions to create his own party in order to go with it in the election of deputies of the Parliament in 2020 rumors.
I have one party — this is the people.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov
«Neither I nor my brothers have such intentions — to create a new party,» stressed Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
He admitted that he is aware that some media regularly raise the theme of his family, his relatives.
«There were eleven brothers and sisters in our family. Now there are eight. We should stay away from gossips,» said the president.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov stressed that they (brothers and sisters) will never beg for office from him.
«They all can keep their families. One of my sisters is a teacher. The second is a medical worker. Another sister is the wife of a diplomat and lives with her family in Iran,» the president told.
According to him, Asylbek Jeenbekov will never allow himself to solve some issues, especially political ones, behind the back of his brother-president.
I will never allow my brothers and family members to interfere with my work. In six years, I want to walk with my head held high and not be ashamed of looking into people’s eyes.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov
«This is the first time I voice these names today. Akayev, Bakiyev — we all remember how they left office. I will not go that way. I want to honestly look into the eyes of my people and not be ashamed,» the head of state said.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov joked that he was grateful to the journalists who during the presidential election campaign 2017 told how many brothers, sisters and close relatives the candidates for the main post of the country — Omurbek Babanov and Bakyt Torobayev — have.
«They have much more than me,» said Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
The president called on journalists and civil activists to immediately report on his relatives’ attempts to interfere in big politics, if there are any.
