Kyrgyzstan at a crossroads, says MEP Paolo Bartolozzi

The 2005 “Tulip revolution” in Kyrgyzstan raised big hopes for democratic change in Central Asia, but bloodshed and violence shook the former Soviet republic when opposition leaders led by former Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva seized power on Wednesday. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is taking refuge in the south and has refused to step down. We asked the Chairman of Parliament's delegation for relations with Central Asia, Paolo Bartolozzi, to give us some insights.

Are the current events part of the democratisation process and how can the rule of law be restored?

The situation in Kyrgyzstan is still very unstable. It is not up to us to judge Kyrgyzstan's internal affairs and decide on the rights or wrongs of the political players.

In my opinion, it is evident that many of the hopes born during the Tulip Revolution have been let down, and the evolution of the situation in Kyrgyzstan wasn't what many political forces wished for.

The EU has emphasised the urgent need to restore constitutional legality and put an end to all the violence and bloodshed. Kyrgyz political forces have to find a solution to the crisis preserving democracy, national unity and in particular parliamentary institutions.

What are the real divisions in Kyrgyz society, is it the North/South divide that matters most?

There are contradictions in Kyrgyz society, some of them based on territory, others on economic development, and others on a religious or ethnic grounds. But I don't think that it is appropriate to identify one main contradiction now. As far as we are concerned, the main worry is that there are people who believe in an open society, based on parliamentary democracy, and others who don't.

Kyrgyzstan is strategically important and Russia has military bases there. What are the EU's interests and priorities in the region?

There are many important strategic interests in Kyrgyzstan connected to the military presence of some countries, the proximity of Afghanistan and the security situation in the region in general.

The EU's interest lies in Central Asian stability, in its political and economic development and in the evolution of regional cooperation. Central Asia isn't strategically important just because it is close to Afghanistan, but also as a prospective economic and commercial partner for energy supplies.

The EU is reassessing its strategy for Central Asia, and in forthcoming years will try to boost aid, for example through EIB (European Investment Bank) investment. Our main goal is to increase our economic, commercial and cultural ties with the region.

A positive development of the Kyrgyz situation will hopefully allow us to continue and reinforce our activities in this direction.