Kolkata, June 29 (IANS) Visiting Bhutan Prime Minister Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y. Thinley said here Monday that the democratic process in his country was doing “fairly well” but was not yet firmly established.
“We in Bhutan, especially the present leadership, is of the view that democracy is yet to be established in our country,” Thinley said at a media meet after he arrived here in the evening on a four-day visit to India.

“We have all the structural arrangements, institutional and legal arrangements in place. We now have to ensure that democracy becomes irreversible and democracy becomes firmly established in the country and work for the betterment of the countrymen,” he said.

While saying that the democratic process in Bhutan “has gone fairly well” so far, Thinley hoped that by the end of his government’s tenure four years from now a “very tangible democratic order” will be in place.

The Thinley government, which recently completed one year, Friday submitted its first annual report, depicting the regime’s achievements, progress, pitfalls and challenges of democracy in the landlocked country.

Asked about the development of the legal system in his country, he said separation of power among the three branches of government is complete, with each functioning independently.

However, the country is yet to establish the structure of its apex court - the Supreme Court.

“We are presently building the Supreme Court building with the support of the government of India,” he said.