Kyrgyzstan becomes a parliamentary republic
The recent elections in Kyrgystan to the Zhogorka Kenesh – a unicameral legislature, consisting of 120 deputies – made this country a parliamentary republic. Thus, Kyrgyzstan became the first country in the Commonwealth of Independent States that finally broke off with the presidential form of rule. The elections were held after the referendum where the country’s population adopted a new Constitution. According to the new Constitution, after the Zhogorka Kenesh is elected, parliament concentrates full authority. The president will retain only representative functions. Actual authorities pass to prime minister, which will be appointed by the parliamentary majority. The political party winning the elections will get the right to form the cabinet of ministers. At this, three tries are given to form the government. Otherwise, new elections are appointed. The parliament of Kyrgyzstan of the last convocation was disbanded in April 2010 after the coup d’etat, as a result of which the opposition gained the power, and the president Kurmanbek Bakiyev fled the country.
Georgia to support Russian WTO bid, but on one condition
Georgia will not support Russia’s application for membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) unless the issue of border-crossing points and customs checkpoints in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia is resolved. According to the Prime Minister of Georgia Nikoloz Gilauri, Tbilisi only wants Russia to follow the WTO norms before becoming a member of this organization. “We support Russia’s membership to WTO, but with one condition, that all the rules of WTO should be followed and part of the rules of WTO is that customs checkpoints between two countries must be transparent,” Gilauri stated. The bilateral negotiations between Russia and Georgia on Russia’s WTO membership ended in 2004, but later Georgia revoked its support. Tbilisi demands common control with Russia of the checkpoints on Psou river in Abkhazia and near the Roksky Tunnel in the South Ossetia, and also they demand access to the Russian market for the Georgian products. Russia has been trying to join the WTO since 1993, while the usual negotiations and the accession procedure last five-to-seven years in total. Any WTO member can block the accession process of a new candidate.
Sportsman of the Month by NOC
September turned out to be productive month for Ukrainian sports. At the women’s world championships in wrestling, judo, boxing and weightlifting our sportswomen won seven medals — four silver and three bronze, the National Olympic Committee press service reports. Hence, is not surprising that the NOC Expert Committee had a hard time picking the best Ukrainian sportsman for that month. They had to choose from among several international silver medalists: Vasyl Fedoryshyn (freestyle wrestling), Armen Vardanian (Graeco-Roman wrestling), Heorhii Zantaraia (judo) and Artem Ivanov (weightlifting). After a long discussion and a vote the National Olympic Committee picked Artem Ivanov. The silver at the Weightlifting World Championship was the highest achievement yet in the athletic career of the 22-year-old weightlifter. His mentor Mykhailo Zarharian was declared the best coach of the month.
