According to the head of state, after completing his first presidential term, he had planned to retire from politics, while then-State Committee for National Security (SCNS) chairman Kamchybek Tashiev could have run in the election.

«I thought that after completing my six-year presidential term in 2027, if Kamchy was ready, I would not run for re-election. Kamchy would become president, and I would retire,» Sadyr Japarov said.

The president said he had told Tashiev about this in advance and advised him to prepare for a possible election campaign, including by paying attention to the people around him.

However, according to Sadyr Japarov, he later changed his mind.

«Then I looked at the situation and saw that he was not ready. His staff were behaving improperly, and people around him had risen to the very top. When the letter from 75 elders appeared and parliament began to be divided into supporters of the general, I called him and said: ‘This is not acceptable. You cannot divide people... So, don’t take it personally, but I am removing you from office,’» the president said.

Sadyr Japarov also commented on his current relationship with Kamchybek Tashiev. According to him, they have been friends since 2005 and will remain friends.

The president recalled that after coming to power in 2020, he appointed Tashiev chairman of the SCNS and generally gave a positive assessment of his work.

«Yes, he worked well for five years. But there was one shortcoming — he was unable to keep an eye on his friends and former classmates. He left office,» the head of state said.

At the same time, Sadyr Japarov stressed that he does not plan to appoint Kamchybek Tashiev to another government position.

«He will remain my friend, but I have no plans to appoint him to any position. He needs to rest, perhaps analyze things and understand where he made mistakes. I am far from saying that he only made mistakes. No, there are results, and he made a huge contribution to the success of our country,» the president said.

At the same time, the head of state noted that if Kamchybek Tashiev decides to run for president, the same conditions will be created for him as for other candidates.