The drama came a few hours before a civil forum to protect the media opened in Bishkek, Kyrgyz capital. Opposition is active in the event-so the blast merely made a noisy start for the show. "The public has lost interest in those people, and they will go to all ends to get it back," the presidential spokesman remarked to Novosti.
The culprits will be tracked down, he promised. "I am sorry our law enforcement officers will have another job to do-they have enough problems, as it is, to fight real crime," added our interviewee.
He suspects the people behind the blast also meant to show their overseas friends in what a plight they were.
Characteristically, our informant went on, leading Kyrgyz opposition are major functionaries who lost their high posts and so are bearing grudges against the regime-suffice it to mention a former Prime Minister, a former Foreign Minister, and several dismissed ambassadors. "These people cannot offer anything constructive. They are out to get back their cozy jobs at all cost."
Information about the accident reached a city police officer on duty at five this morning. A noise resembling a firecracker going off was reported from Rosa Otunbayeva's apartment entrance. It was an attempt to blow up the door, the opposition leader said to the media. Somewhat later, she referred to an explosive device unidentified persons had planted on her balcony.
The blast injured no one.
