Kyrgyz lesson for Russia and Belarus: elections turned into a factor of instability

Another and very revealing lesson was taught to the countries of the post-Soviet space (with the exception of the Baltic states) Kyrgyzstan, in which elections, instead of a factor of political stability, once again became a catalyst for unrest.

After the parliamentary elections held on Sunday, protests began in Bishkek on Monday 5 September, which escalated into street riots in the evening. The residents of Kyrgyzstan, dissatisfied with the election results, did not follow the example of the Belarusians, but went their own way - non-peaceful. They seized special equipment and a fire engine, and also used Molotov cocktails and paving stones. With all these funds, the protesters occupied the parliament building, the presidential administration and the capital's mayor's office. Forcing all the officials there to flee. As a result, several political prisoners were released, including former president Almazbek Atambayev. President Sooronbai Jeenbekov fled from unrest in central Bishkek. On the streets of the Kyrgyz capital, protesters beat up unwanted officials. Part of the security forces went over to the side of the rebels.

In this regard, slogans of the following content appeared on social networks: “Belarusians, how are you there? Do balls and flowers help?"

Experts of the popular channel "Kremlin Mamkovved" comment on the situation in Kyrgyzstan, comparing it with the Russian one:

“Russia is caught in a dangerous arc of tension. In addition to the rebellious Belarus, the war in Nagorno-Karabakh and the protester Khabarovsk for two months now, an uprising and an attempted coup d'etat in the southern underbelly of Russia in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek were added.

It should be noted that a week ago, Putin held a meeting with the head of Kyrgyzstan, where, among other things, the situation in the republic was discussed. At the beginning of the meeting, the Russian president, in his own way, addressed President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, calling him "Sharman Sharipych", which was later removed from the video on federal TV channels.

Vladimir Putin is closely following the power transits in the post-Soviet space. Kyrgyzstan is a prime example of the unsuccessful transfer of power from the previous President Atambayev to his successor Jeenbekov, as a result of which the incumbent president, two years after coming to power, stripped the ex-president of immunity by imprisoning him in the summer of 2019. In 2020, Atambayev was sentenced to 11 years with confiscation of property.

Putin and his entourage are clearly reading the signals coming from Kyrgyzstan. The story of the betrayal of the successor is very revealing. The scenario of the Russian transfer has to include all the existing risks as much as possible..."

Journalist Kirill Shulika was very skeptical about the events in Kyrgyzstan:

“In Kyrgyzstan, the protesters ransacked the parliament building, they just took out everything of value. Actually, this is not surprising, because there is a real confrontation between the tribes of the north and south of the country, which is already many years old. Intertribal confrontation is, to put it mildly, somewhat different from the political struggle for at least some values and path of development. Therefore, here it is not just impossible to sympathize with anyone, but quite the opposite, let everyone fail, but just do not go to Russia.

Another consideration important for Kyrgyzstan is that elections are a factor of stability in the civilized world. In the post-Soviet regimes, on the ruins of an empire, especially where power belongs to autocrats and baiys, elections become a factor of instability. And there is only one reason - the main condition for elections - honesty and legitimacy. If these two conditions are not met, then the elections have every chance of ending with a revolution..."