Anniversary of Jeenbekov’s Reign: The Main Dilemmas of the President «Sooronbay Jeenbekov had time to take a close look at the ups and downs of more than one ruler. Having come to power, he cannot but be aware that power is both honor and burden. To adequately stay in it, it is necessary to go through more than one cay of dilemmas. The first year of the presidency has already presented several challenges. Some have been passed, the most are still to come» – expert Elmira Nogoibaeva noted in her article written specifically for CABAR.asia. Русский Кыргызча Summary of the article: Sooronbay Jeenbekov managed to avoid the expected patronage of the former boss; Jeenbekov’s foreign policy can now be called the format of a crisis manager; The style of the Jeenbekov family and some of his statements demonstrate high religiosity; President Jeenbekov does not have a well-coordinated, dedicated and initiative team yet. Anniversary of Jeenbekov’s Reign: The Main Dilemmas of the President The fortune brought Jeenbekov to the political olympus. Photo: president.kg The story does not reveal, whether a shy young man from a remote from the center Karakuldzha village, located between Fergana and Alay mountain ranges, ever dreamed of becoming a president. However, it is known for sure that he became on November 15, 2017 at the national elections of the Kyrgyz Republic, having gained 54.76% of votes. It is quite difficult to say that Sooronbay Jeenbekov long and inquisitively walked towards this highest political hypostasis. Yes, his path was not easy, but how much the presidency itself was the goal? The goals of various politicians of the independence period, aspiring to the olympus, vary widely. For some, it is finance, for others – blood, sweat and life. For example, the path to the presidency of two Jeenbekov’s contemporaries – two Omurbeks. One – a young and ambitious Omurbek Babanov, not for the first time went all-in to an old dream – the presidency, but his dream each time collapsed in one step, more precisely in a few percent from success. The other countryman Omurbek Tekebaev is a consistent proponent. A convincing competitor to any politician in Kyrgyzstan, with almost 30 years of experience in the struggle in power, who went through all the tables of politics. Perhaps for this reason he is in prison at the time of the election campaign, not without the involvement of the ex-President Atambaev. Anniversary of Jeenbekov’s Reign: The Main Dilemmas of the President So, the fortune brought Jeenbekov to the political Olympus. It is not easy to be the president of Kyrgyzstan, which survived two either coups or revolutions, with an unbridled civil society and in spite of everything a freedom-loving temper. Each president here, coming to power, was convinced that the country was governable, like all institutions and the society. And each time made the same mistakes. Sooronbay Jeenbekov had time to take a close look at the ups and downs of more than one ruler. Having come to power, he cannot but be aware that power is both honor and burden. To adequately stay in it, it is necessary to go through more than one cay of dilemmas. The first year of the presidency has already presented several challenges. Some have been passed, the most are still to come. Dilemma I. A solo player? Here the story moves away from a possible predetermination. Having become the fifth president of the independent state of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov managed to avoid the expected patronage of the former boss. Initially and rather delicately he has quite successfully passed the first dilemma that he faced at his presidency. Later Almazbek Atambaev, returning to reality, will clearly see and understand that his adult and independent, recently loyal employee does not want to be just a puppet. Then a new round of revanchist wars will begin, and more precisely, political cycles which are already peculiar to Kyrgyzstan. Each successive president rejects the previous one and pursues his henchmen. By the way, Almazbek Atambaev honed this principle both in practice and in constant rhetoric, laying the political tradition to abuse and blame previous presidents. The boomerang made a circle and returned. The first year of Sooronbay Jeenbekov passed, one of six. It is just a beginning, but the initial style of Jeenbekov’s presidency is already emerging. This is a laconic and moderate leader, which sharply contrasts with the previous president. His tread is still cautious, perhaps even too much. In any case, the outline of the policy itself has not yet decided. The current president is rather introverted; he does not make hasty steps. In a southern manner, he is diplomatic and honorable to his colleagues – the leaders of the neighboring countries in the region and foreign policy partners. For this, they still kindly include him into their circle. Even if he is a head taller, he tries not to step forward. Courtesy and laconicism are more his advantages than shortcomings. Outer radius The presidency of Sooronbay Jeenbekov falls on the gradual and consistent formatting of the Central Asian region, which today is more oriented towards a centripetal movement. A long standoff between all of its leaders is gradually being replaced by rapprochement. The new president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who sets the tone, demonstrates goodwill to Kyrgyzstan and its leader. It is no coincidence that Jeenbekov’s presidency began with an unprecedentedly positive rapprochement with Uzbekistan over the past decade. A conservative and undisputed regional leader, Nursultan Nazarbaev, also quite Anniversary of Jeenbekov’s Reign: The Main Dilemmas of the President favorably treated the new president of Kyrgyzstan. Fraternal ties of the Kyrgyz-Kazakh leaders that recently were at the dead end moved to the thaw stage. The policy of Jeenbekov did not change its coordinates of the far vision. His loyalty to Russia was immediately determined. He even supported the initiative with the introduction of a common currency in the EEU. More optimistic than the other more experienced members of this organization[1]Kaktus.media. Единая валюта, нет границ и проблем. Мечты Жээнбекова о будущем Кыргызстана и ЕАЭС.: The EEU is our future; Russia was, is and will be our main strategic partner and ally. I really believe in the future of the EEU, we have a powerful potential. We will also come to a common currency. Sooronbay Jeenbekov demonstrated that Russia is still the main focus in the policy of Kyrgyzstan. At the same time remains fairly moderate in relation to other vectors in foreign policy; China, Europe or other countries. Russia is still the main focus in the policy of Kyrgyzstan Photo: president.kg It is symbolic that President Jeenbekov made his first state visit to China, taking part in the Anniversary of Jeenbekov’s Reign: The Main Dilemmas of the President meeting of the Summit of the Heads of the SCO States in Qingdao in June 2018. The interaction with a large neighbor is actively developing primarily at the bilateral level, especially in trade and economic relations. In the Year of Development of the Regions of Kyrgyzstan, it was managed to convince the Chinese side to allocate a grant of 600 million Yuan for the implementation of projects to create a scientific and innovative agricultural technological parks, to equip veterinary and phytosanitary laboratories, to develop the road network in Bishkek, and to provide drinking water to remote areas of Kyrgyzstan. It was managed to reconcile with Turkey, returning the favor of the Turkish leader. After the four-year break, the IV meeting of the High Council for Strategic Cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Turkey was held. A rather complacent vector, but with a slight eye to the north is being formed in relation to Europe and the USA. Assuming that Kyrgyzstan and its new president have enough resources and maneuver for a uniform multi-vector policy would be naive. However, until this balance is broken. Jeenbekov’s policy in foreign policy can now be called the format of a crisis manager. Islam is one the accents on which the president did emphasis. Time will show how this will affect the interaction with the Islamic world, especially in competing areas and the countries representing them. First year is a year of adaptation. Anniversary of Jeenbekov’s Reign: The Main Dilemmas of the President Some statements of Jeenbekov demonstrate high religiosity. Photo: president.kg The style of Jeenbekov’s family and some of his statements demonstrate high religiosity in domestic policy. On one hand, this has already caused suspicion among supporters of the gentiles embodied in the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic. On the other hand, it strengthened the obvious paradox at the state level, which actively declares and fights against extremism and terrorism, but at the elite level it demonstrates full adherence to only one confession – Islam. Dilemma II. The style – between conservative and current In general, if we talk about the overall style of Jeenbekov, in the most it returns to Soviet aesthetics. It is typical of all his formats of meetings, events, semi-congresses that are more and more similar to the mass cultural meetings of recent times either with the youth (recently sworn to the previous leader) or representatives of professional niches (from the same series). It is such a familiar format in which nostalgia has not yet developed, rather the opposite – absolute immunity from mass imitations. Anniversary of Jeenbekov’s Reign: The Main Dilemmas of the President Sooronbay Jeenbekov is at the opening of the Republican Youth Congress in November 2018. Photo: president.kg The former Soviet party and nomenclature activist is well observed in this.