After rescuing Nala from a warehouse several weeks ago, Talai Payne said her new cat is “the best mom” to her five surprise kittens.
Day: April 16, 2025
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has submitted a draft law to parliament establishing the official date for the country’s next presidential election. The parliamentary committee on constitutional legislation has approved the proposal in all three readings.
According to the newly adopted law, the presidential election will take place on January 24, 2027, in line with amendments that designate the fourth Sunday of January as the official election date in the year the president’s term expires.
Under the current Constitution, the president of Kyrgyzstan is elected for a single six-year term, with no possibility of re-election. President Japarov was elected on January 28, 2021, and later initiated constitutional reforms, including a nationwide referendum that expanded presidential powers.
Changes to Parliamentary Elections
The same parliamentary committee has also approved a second reading of a draft law altering the electoral system for members of the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament). The reforms would eliminate single-mandate constituencies, moving to an entirely majoritarian, multi-member district model.
Under the new system, 30 electoral constituencies will be established, with three deputies elected in each, bringing the total to 90 MPs, all elected on a majoritarian basis. Both political parties and self-nominated individuals will be able to field candidates. Notably, 30 of the 90 seats will be reserved for women, aimed at enhancing gender representation.
Currently, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament is composed of 54 deputies elected by party lists and 36 by single-mandate districts. If approved in its final reading, the draft law would overhaul the country’s mixed electoral model in favor of a purely constituency-based approach.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a new law prohibiting the use of state budget funds and funds from the quasi-governmental sector, to finance the participation of foreign athletes in Kazakh sports clubs. Under the legislation, foreign “legionnaires” may now only be contracted using money from private sponsors.
The move aims to refocus state support on domestic talent in professional sports. According to the presidential administration, athletes holding Kazakhstani passports who compete at elite levels, including in Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic, Asian, and national sports, will remain eligible for public funding.
Funding Priorities and Implementation
“The priority sports will be defined based on achievements on the international stage,” Akorda stated. These will include sports featured in the programs of major multi-sport events, along with traditional national disciplines.
Budget allocations will also continue for state-run physical culture and sports organizations, grassroots sports initiatives, and the development of sports infrastructure. The final list of high-performance priority sports, along with detailed budget allocation procedures, will be finalized by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
In addition to the funding changes, the new law introduces unified standards for athlete training and outlines measures to promote traditional values and patriotic education. A new concept, “national standards of sports training”, has been formally introduced into legislation.
Financial Impact and Transition Period
Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Serik Zharasbayev previously estimated that Kazakhstan allocates around 400 billion tenge (approximately $797 million) annually to high-performance sports through national and regional budgets.
Currently, football and hockey clubs can receive up to 1.2 billion KZT ($2.4 million) per year, while basketball and volleyball clubs are limited to 450 million KZT ($897,000). The new rules, however, will not affect existing contracts, as Kazakh law is not retroactive. Nevertheless, authorities have advised clubs across all sports not to sign new agreements with foreign athletes in 2025.
Potential Legal Challenges
Observers note that the restrictions may conflict with Kazakhstan’s obligations under the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Treaty, which guarantees the free movement of labor among member states. The move could impact the future participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, in particular, in Kazakhstan’s domestic leagues.
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, legal interpretations of the EAEU Treaty’s provisions may play a decisive role in how these new restrictions are implemented in practice.
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