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Kyrgyzstan votes in constitution referendum BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan voted on Sunday in a constitutional referendum designed to ease tensions in the Central Asian state but criticised by the opposition as a step towards authoritarianism. Home to a U.S. and a Russian military base, the Muslim state has been unstable since 2005 when protests ousted veteran leader Askar Akayev and brought President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to power. The proposed changes give Bakiyev additional leeway in picking officials and dissolving parliament, and pave the way for his political party to gain a power base in the chamber. "People are the real power. After all the debate people will draw a line under it ... and express their point of view," Bakiyev said after casting his ballot in the capital Bishkek. |
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