Kyrgyz PM Abylgaziev resigns over graft probe

The prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev, resigned on Monday, citing a corruption probe against his former subordinates which he said undermined trust in the cabinet and limited its ability to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Abylgaziev, who had already taken a two-week leave of absence, said he was leaving to avoid hindering the progress of a criminal investigation into the assignment of radio frequencies by his government.

The prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev, resigned on Monday, citing a corruption probe against his former subordinates which he said undermined trust in the cabinet and limited its ability to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Abylgaziev, who had already taken a two-week leave of absence, said he was leaving to avoid hindering the progress of a criminal investigation into the assignment of radio frequencies by his government. Abylgaziev denied any involvement in the case.

"In today's difficult environment when the country is dealing with the threat of coronavirus and its impact on the economy, the government must be stable and have the citizens' full trust, while uncertainty hinders the cabinet's work," he said in a statement. President Sooronbai Jeenbekov's Social Democratic party leads a majority coalition in parliament which must now nominate a new prime minister.