Kyrgyzstan’s Constitution Goes Missing

With debates on for referendum, the original document of the Constitution cannot be located.

On 19 October, members of the Kyrgyz parliament queried the exact location of the Constitution’s original copy. (Photo: www.gov.kg)

Kyrgyzstan’s constitution has been missing. When the Central Asian country’s politicians were debating whether to allow another referendum this December, nobody could find the original document.

The constitution was last amended in June 2010 when the Parliament was given more authority while the powers of the President were curtailed.

According to The Independent, some commentators have suggested the mystery of the missing document “is a ruse to distract the population from concerns over planned changes to basic law in the country, which has a turbulent recent political past.”

Back in April 2010, protesters overthrew former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's government alleging corruption and increased living expenses.

The new amendment to the constitution would give more power to the Prime Minister, at the expense of parliament.