Kyrgyz deputies vote to boost president's power

Kyrgyzstan's parliament overwhelmingly backed measures Thursday to broaden the president's powers and drastically streamline the government.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's increasing control over the former Soviet nation has given rise to fears of deepening authoritarianism.

Kyrgyzstan's stability is of interest to both Russia and the United States. The Central Asian country hosts a U.S. air base crucial to operations in Afghanistan and has been the focus of competition between Washington and Moscow for regional influence.

Under the approved new government structure, the security services and foreign policy will be placed under the president's direct control.

Measures also include the dismissal of 40 percent of public sector workers, intended to save the impoverished country more than $11 million annually.

The reform proposals met virtually no resistance in parliament, which is dominated by the pro-presidential Ak Zhol party.

Bakiyev announced his sweeping government reform campaign this week and accepted the Cabinet's resignation. He said a number of ministries are to be merged and their operations streamlined to slash public spending and combat corruption.

A close Bakiyev ally and former head of the presidential administration, Daniyar Usenov, will take over as head of government.

Analysts warn that efforts to downsize the public sector and reduce government support for the poverty-stricken population could cause unrest.

"With his controversial reforms Kyrgyzstan's president risks triggering a new wave of democratic upheaval in the country," IHS Global Insight said in a report on the reform proposals.

Opposition politicians say the reform push is part of a drive to accumulate more power in the president's office.

"It is very dangerous because it deprives the government of independence, and the government will become a part of the (presidential) apparatus," said leading opposition politician Omurbek Tekebayev.

Bakiyev swept to power in July 2005 and pledged to clean up government after a series of street protests brought down the previous president, Askar Akayev.

He was re-elected for a second term this year on a platform of stability and reform in an election that international monitors said was marred by ballot-box stuffing and widespread irregularities in vote counting.