BISHKEK, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Kyrgyz parliament approved the candidacy of Ulukbek Maripov for the post of the country's prime minister at a meeting on Wednesday.
The parliament members also approved the new composition, structure and program of the government.
Speaking at the meeting, 41-year-old Maripov said that the structure of the government will become more streamlined and capable of solving social and economic issues.
In particular, the posts of deputy prime ministers will be reduced, with only the first deputy prime minister post remaining, and a number of ministries and departments will be merged. The total number of members of government will be reduced from 22 to 16.
Thus, the ministries of economy and finance, health and social development will be united, and almost all state services, commissions, inspections and committees will be reformed.
Earlier, Maripov served as chairman of the Accounting Chamber, a state auditing institution. He was appointed to the position in 2016. Prior to that, he was deputy chief of the president's office.
The Kyrgyz government resigned on Jan. 21, 2021 after President-elect Sadyr Zhaparov resigned as prime minister after his victory in the early presidential election on Jan. 10.
Zhaparov officially took office as the new Kyrgyz president on Thursday, becoming the sixth president of Kyrgyzstan.
Maripov will assume his office after President Zhaparov signs a decree on appointing him as prime minister. Enditem
