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In honor of the celebration of the Unity Day of the Peoples of Kazakhstan, and on the eve of Victory Day, a nationwide patriotic dictation "Yerkin el urpagy" was held
Purpose of the event:
Popularization of the independence and sovereignty of the country, education of the generation in the spirit of patriotism, instilled national values and national ideals.
Aitzhanov Zhantore Zharylkasynuly
Deputy Head of KSU "Management of state assets of Almaty city"
+77273901844
u.fin@almaty.gov.kz
Tokseitova Galiya Erlanovna
Deputy Head of KSU "Management of state assets of Almaty city"
+77273901841
u.fin@almaty.gov.kz
On September 15, 2022, the head of the State Assets Department of Almaty, A.K. Egemberdiev, took part in a meeting under the leadership of the Deputy. Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhamaubayev E.K., regarding the implementation of the Comprehensive Privatization Plan for 2021-2025.
According to Government Decree No. 908 (dated December 29, 2020), 5 organizations (Almaty Turgyn uy LLP) are included in the Comprehensive Privatization Plan for 2021-2025 for the city of Almaty, LLP "Tourist information Center", LLP "Educational and clinical center", LLP "Specialized combine of funeral services of the city of Almaty", Technopark "Alatau" LLP).
Taking into account the functions performed by enterprises for the life support of the city, the issue of exclusion from the Comprehensive Plan or postponement to 2025 is being worked out.
A FAIR STATE. ONE NATION. PROSPEROUS SOCIETY
Dear Compatriots!
Dear deputies, members of the Government!
In accordance with Article 59 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I declare the third session of the Parliament of the 7th convocation open.
Dear deputies!
I congratulate everyone on the start of another session of the Parliament!
This year our country has entered a new stage of development.
In a nationwide referendum, the majority of citizens supported the course of political modernisation. The constitutional reform was a fundamental step in the creation of the New Fair Kazakhstan.
The continuation of political modernisation should be structural economic transformation.
We are facing a profound restructuring of relations in the triad “citizen – business – state”.
First and foremost, the state will ensure equality of opportunities and justice for all.
A high level of public welfare and support for socially vulnerable categories of the population, including citizens with special needs, will be guaranteed. The relevant institution of the Ombudsperson under the President will be established.
The state will fully support economic freedom, but at the same time will resolutely protect citizens against excessive market fluctuations.
Small and medium-sized businesses will be vigorously developed.
Now, I will outline specific areas of reform.
FIRST. NEW ECONOMIC POLICY
The systemic problems of our economy are well known. These are dependence on raw materials, low labor productivity, insufficient level of innovation, and unequal income distribution.
There is no doubt that all these problems are complex, however, there are concrete ways to solve them.
These include ensuring macroeconomic stability, economic diversification, digitalization, and development of small and medium-sized businesses, human capital, and the rule of law.
However, there is still no tangible progress on these issues. Clearly, new approaches are required.
The basic goal of our economic policy remains unchanged: qualitative and inclusive growth of the well-being of our citizens.
The priorities of the new economic course will be:
- stimulating private entrepreneurial initiative, which means moving away from state capitalism and excessive government intervention in the economy;
- development of competition, which means ensuring equal opportunities for all;
- and, of course, a fair distribution of the national income.
All of this involves solving a number of high-priority tasks.
First. Administrative regulation of prices reduces the investment attractiveness of entire industries and leads to a shortage of goods as well as dependence on imports.
Therefore, the government’s interference in pricing will be phased out. The exception will be non- competitive markets - the tariffs of monopolists will remain under tight control. But control does not mean pressure.
Today, there are increasing number of cases when government agencies, including law enforcement agencies, rush to inspect businesses and demand lower prices and tariffs. Such populist actions must be stopped.
It is important to strike a balance between the need to limit monopoly profits and ensure investment in infrastructure.
Two-thirds of the country’s power supply networks, 57% of its heating networks, and almost half of its water supply networks are worn out. These figures speak for themselves.
Artificial containment of tariffs is fraught with rolling outages, accidents, and, as a result, a threat to the health and lives of citizens.
In monopoly markets, it is necessary to switch to a new tariff policy “Tariff in exchange for investment”.
The indicators of wear and tear of networks and capacities should be reduced by at least 15%.
The tariff will be provided in exchange for investment in infrastructure and participation in the state monitoring system to ensure transparency. The owner will have to make a substantial part of the investment from their own funds, not from the tariff.
Effective incentives for innovations should be developed, to allow the redistribution of part of the costs within the tariff estimate and retention of a certain share of income.
Cross-subsidization of tariffs, in which prices for some consumers are restrained by increasing the cost of services for others, should be gradually abandoned.
Second. Institutional solutions are needed to further de-monopolise the economy.
The concept of a “conglomerate” should be defined at the legislative level. Related entities of the market are obliged to obtain a permit for economic concentration. All their transactions should be thoroughly checked, including for indications of the use of non-market prices.
The development of a market economy is negatively affected by the activities of single operators.
Therefore, this institution should be regulated.
Existing operators should be transferred to a competitive environment or recognised as monopolists and regulated under the special antimonopoly law.
Third. Sustained economic growth depends directly on a clear, predictable tax policy.
In order to reboot fiscal regulation, a new Tax Code will be prepared in 2023. Its most problematic block - tax administration - will have to be completely updated.
It is also necessary to ensure the full digitalization of tax control, eliminating any face-to-face interaction. Another priority is increasing the effectiveness of tax incentives.
For this purpose, it is necessary to move to differentiated tax rates in different sectors of the economy. It is necessary to introduce mechanisms of reduction or exemption from corporate income tax on profits aimed at technological modernisation and scientific development. Special tax regimes should be simplified to minimise the temptation for tax evasion.
The new code should provide for the prevention of intentional fragmentation of organisations in order to reduce the tax burden.
For the development of civilized trade, the application of a retail tax with adequate rates and simple procedures is to be expanded.
As part of the tax reform, it is important to consider the possibility of introducing a so-called “luxury tax”. It would be levied on the purchase of expensive real estate, vehicles, and would not affect the middle class.
I would like to focus separately on the topic of fees when buying cars.
Everyone knows the problem with cars from some neighbouring countries. They remain outside the legal field, posing a threat to public safety.
It is necessary to take decisive measures to shut down all illegal channels for importing cars from now on. At the same time, it is necessary to regulate the situation with such cars imported before September 1 of this year.
To legalise them, I propose to apply a one-time fee for recycling and primary registration in an amount not exceeding 200,000 – 250,000 tenge. This measure should apply to vehicles that are not wanted by the police and have passed customs clearance.
Fourth, an effective tax policy is closely linked to transparent customs administration. It is important to complete the full integration of tax and customs information systems. Next. The multitude of inspectors is one of the main causes of inefficiency.
Therefore, it is necessary to introduce a mechanism of integrated customs control at the border. Customs clearance centers should operate on a “single window” basis.
Fifth. We need to learn to live within our means.
The budget policy model will be reformed by moving from “budget management” to “results management”.
Directly in the Budget Code, it is necessary to fix the marginal standards that must be observed in the planning and execution of the budget.
The practice of inefficient spending of the resources of the National Fund will be stopped. This is extremely important. At the same time, transfers from the National Fund will continue, but only for the development of critical infrastructure and projects of national importance.
Budgetary processes must be radically simplified. It is also necessary to allow government agencies to carry over unspent funds to the next year. This solution will help get rid of the inefficient practice of returning money to the budget.
At the same time, a budget risk management system should be launched, including in the quasi-public sector. We have begun to transfer tax revenues to the regions; this work must continue.
The "People’s Participation Budget" project, which has proven itself, should be scaled up to cities of district significance and villages. At least 10% of expenditures on housing and public utilities should be formed with the involvement of the public.
For the effective implementation of the approaches outlined, it is necessary to adopt a new Budget Code.
Sixth. Systemic support for entrepreneurship.
Here, first and foremost, it is necessary to launch a full-fledged "regulation from scratch”. This mandate has been dragging on for two years.
Instead of endless adjustments to hundreds and thousands of bylaws and instructions, new compact and understandable rules of operation should be approved. This approach should be fully implemented from January 1, 2024.
Next. In providing financial support, the state will give priority to competitive small and medium-sized enterprises.
The basic criteria for such assistance will be the growth of the wage fund and an increase in tax deductions.
In parallel, an automated system for determining the recipients of state support measures will be introduced.
It is necessary to build a qualitatively new system of public procurement.
The priority should be the quality of purchased goods and services, not the minimum price.
Procurement of state and quasi-state organisations should be transferred to a single platform. The implementation of these approaches will require the adoption of a new law "On Public Procurement".
Seventh. We should move to a new model of public-private partnership.
Today, many PPP projects have become a “trough” for unscrupulous entrepreneurs and officials.
Contracts in this sphere should be transparent and concluded on a competitive basis. To increase the efficiency of this mechanism, an appropriate law should be adopted.
Eighth. The lack of credit resources remains a serious problem for domestic businesses.
Underfunding of small and medium business in Kazakhstan amounts to about 42 billion dollars. At the same time, banks have accumulated multitrillion-dollar liquidity, which actually does not work for the economy.
The National Bank, the Agency for Financial Regulation, and the Government must find specific solutions to ensure stable and affordable lending to the real sector.
Taking into account the most complicated specifics of the situation, the National Bank should show more flexibility, I would say, ingenuity. There are positive examples of this abroad.
Ninth. Land is the basic factor of production. Without access to it, it is impossible to do business.
By the end of the year, it is necessary to develop effective approaches for the prompt and transparent allocation of land to entrepreneurs.
Each region and major community should assess the availability of unoccupied or underutilized land. This information should be fully available to businesses.
I am confident that these measures will improve the competitiveness of not only the entrepreneurial class, but the economy as a whole.
SECOND. DEVELOPMENT OF THE REAL SECTOR
First of all, legislation and procedures will have to be greatly simplified in order to attract investment in subsoil development.
It is necessary to complete the creation of a unified data bank of geological information. I instruct the government to increase the investment appeal of the industrial sector.
Last year, on my instructions, the effectiveness of all special economic zones was assessed. Based on its results, problematic areas were identified and new approaches were outlined.
Now we need to switch to a fundamentally different policy for the development of SEZs. This issue is of particular importance in connection with the relocation of foreign enterprises to Kazakhstan.
The provision of investment incentives for SEZs should be approached in a differentiated way. The key here is the principle: the greater the investment, the greater the benefits.
At the same time, investors not falling under the priority activities, but implementing important industrial projects, can be given land plots without the application of tax and customs preferences.
The issue of land property rights in the territory of the SEZ for enterprises that have fulfilled all their investment obligations in good faith must also be resolved.
Overall, systematic work is needed to attract investment. This is a priority task of the government.
Next. As already mentioned, the state will consistently reduce its participation in the economy.
The sovereign wealth fund “Samruk-Kazyna” will be transformed into an investor owning only a majority stake, sufficient to control key sectors of the economy. Other assets and shares of the Fund will be privatized, including through the mechanism of “People’s IPO”.
As a co-investor, Samruk-Kazyna will participate only in critically important projects that cannot be implemented by private investors. Such projects will be determined by the President.
The next issue is the strengthening of the country's transit potential.
Given the current geopolitical situation, Kazakhstan is becoming the most important land corridor between Asia and Europe. We need to make full use of the emerging opportunities and become a transport and transit hub of truly global significance.
Kazakhstan has already begun implementing such major projects as the creation of a container hub in Aktau and the development of the Trans-Caspian corridor. Advanced logistics companies of the world will be involved in this work.
The National Company “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” will be transformed into a full-fledged transit and logistics corporation.
Special attention should be paid to the quality of road construction, including local roads.
Despite huge budgetary injections, this problem is still on the agenda. Previously, I instructed to bring the proportion of local roads that are in good condition to 95% by 2025. The government needs to take this issue under direct control.
There is a need for concrete results in the work to identify violations in road construction.
There are still interruptions in the supply of bitumen. This is unacceptable for a major oil-producing country. The government must finally solve this problem.
Overall, frankly speaking, the systemic failures of the government, the constant shortages of fuel and sugar lead to the justified indignation of citizens. This is a consequence of the sluggishness, indecision of the Cabinet of Ministers. If this continues to be the case, specific personnel decisions will have to be made again.
Next. The construction sector occupies an important place in the structure of the national economy. It generates 5-6% of the country’s GDP, and much more if related industries are taken into account.
Meanwhile, architectural and construction activities in Kazakhstan are today regulated by more than 2,500 different documents.
A confusing, bureaucratic system has been formed that breeds corruption.
Outdated building standards and norms are still in use.
Therefore, I instruct the Government to adopt a conceptually new document - the Urban Planning Code.
Functional interactive maps of land plots and schemes of utility networks should be created for each city.
In the land cadaster, maps of industrial areas need to be supplemented with actual schemes of transport and utility infrastructure.
One of the key problems that remains is the issue of agricultural development.
The state of the industry directly affects the food security of the country.
The strategic task of increasing the volume of production and increasing the added value of domestic agricultural products needs to be solved.
The time when you could just sell grain and livestock is a thing of the past.
The government must prepare new long-term approaches to subsidizing the industry.
Budget funds must provide an effective return.
The state will no longer throw money away right and left.
It is necessary to strengthen control over the allocation and use of subsidies.
Rural cooperation offers great prospects for the development of the agrarian sphere.
The corresponding pilot project has been implemented. According to its results, the yield in agricultural cooperatives that participated in it doubled, and the growth of livestock - almost a quarter.
This successful experience should be gradually scaled up throughout the country, taking into account the specifics of the regions.
The industry is in dire need of advanced technological solutions.
Currently, there is no complete information for agricultural development.
All disparate information about the state of agricultural land, water resources, irrigation systems, and transport accessibility will be combined on a single digital platform.
In general, from next year the country’s agro-industrial complex should work under new and stable rules. I would like to focus separately on the activities of the Commission for the seizure of unused land.
As part of its work, about 2.9 million hectares of agricultural land have already been returned to the state. By the end of the year, it is planned to return at least 5 million hectares.
The total area of unused land, or land that is issued with violations of the law, is about 10 million hectares.
The government and the akims (governors) must make specific decisions on them by the end of 2023. Especially since the moratorium on inspections related to land issues has been lifted.
The lack of water resources is a serious barrier to the sustainable economic development of the country.
In the current realities, this topic is moving into the category of national security issues.
The reduction in the external inflow of water is exacerbated by its inefficient use, with losses as high as 40%.
Other characteristic problems of the sphere include high deterioration of infrastructure, low level of automation and digitalisation, lack of scientific support and shortage of personnel.
To solve them, it is necessary to intensify the work of the Water Council under the Government with the involvement of experts.
In order to train in-demand specialists, it is necessary to identify a strong foundational university.
In general, it is necessary to prepare a three-year project for the development of the water industry.
THIRD. STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTRY’S FUTURE
People are the main value of our country.
Therefore, a fair distribution of national wealth and equal opportunity for every citizen is a key goal of our reforms.
The harmonious development of society is possible only if the health of the nation is ensured.
Despite reforms in the health care, the state of the industry leaves much to be desired.
Obviously, the whole set of problems that have accumulated cannot be solved all at once. Therefore, efforts should be concentrated on critical aspects, one of which is the financing system.
The chronic underfunding of the industry leads to the fact that the insured citizens do not receive the amount of medical services they are entitled to.
The situation is aggravated by the artificial division of medical care into state-guaranteed and insurance packages.
We have to admit that there is no insurance model as such. This is a significant omission.
It is necessary to finally launch a system of voluntary health insurance. I instruct the government to reconsider its approaches to financing health care and the social sphere in general.
Particular attention should be paid to the comprehensive improvement of medical infrastructure, including through public-private partnerships.
Medicine is an investment-attractive industry; you just need to create the right conditions.
I have decided to begin the implementation of a national project aimed at the needs of the rural population of our country as early as next year.
Within two years, medical and obstetric stations will be built and fully equipped in 650 villages where there are currently no medical facilities.
Thus, the state will provide access to primary health care for more than a million citizens.
As part of the national project, 32 district hospitals will be modernised and transformed into inter-district multidisciplinary institutions.
They will have centers specializing in strokes, surgery, and intensive care and rehabilitation units.
This will improve the quality of medical services for more than four million citizens.
In addition, telemedicine will be developed, which will open up access to qualified medical care for residents of remote areas.
To improve the competitiveness of the domestic healthcare, it is necessary to consistently improve the system for training doctors.
Multidisciplinary university hospitals and clinics will be established at medical universities.
Within three years, the annual number of grants for residency training will be increased by 70%.
All of these measures will improve the health of our nation, not just in theory, but in practice.
The next important issue is the state of the education system, which plays a crucial role in increasing the nation's potential.
Our people have a proverb: “El bolamyn desen, besіgindi tuze” (“The future of the country is formed in the baby’s cradle”).
Therefore, the sphere of preschool education should be a priority. However, preschool education in today’s Kazakhstan covers only a little more than half of the children between the age of 2-6. This situation is inadmissible.
It is necessary to cardinally resolve the issue of provision of kindergartens.
At the same time, effective measures should be taken to raise the social status and salaries of educators. At the same time, it is necessary to establish clear requirements for professionals in this sphere and gradually reduce the workload.
The driving force for progress in education is dedicated teachers. That is why it is not kindergartens that should be evaluated, but teachers.
Another significant factor in the formation of a successful nation is the quality of secondary education.
Every schoolchild in Kazakhstan should have decent conditions for learning and all-round development. This is what the new national project “Comfortable School” is aimed at.
By 2025, we will create 800,000 student places that meet modern requirements. This will completely solve the problem of emergency and three-shift schools.
This measure also significantly levels the difference between the quality of educational infrastructure in urban and rural areas.
In general, the construction of new schools should be one of the priorities of the government and the akims (governors).
All illegally obtained funds that come into the possession of the state as a result of trials of corrupt officials should be spent on building schools.
The government should decide on the legal registration of this action. It is extremely important to ensure maximum availability of school uniforms for all students.
I believe that the state should provide the uniforms for children from certain socially vulnerable categories at the expense of the budget.
Targeted state orders for the purchase of school uniforms should be aimed at the development of the domestic light industry.
I am deeply convinced that school teachers will play a decisive role in building the New Kazakhstan.
The state has done a lot in recent years to increase the attractiveness of this profession.
However, positive changes in this direction are still needed. A new standard for accreditation of teacher training institutions and a framework of teacher competencies must be adopted.
Given the global progress of science and technology, it is important to strengthen the teaching of science and mathematics and English in high schools.
There are discussions in society around the teaching of Kazakh and Russian languages in schools. Let me be clear: we must educate children to speak fluently both Kazakh and Russian.
This is in the interests of the younger generation. The Ministry of Education should be guided by the interests of children, not by populists. The younger generation, in terms of knowledge, including language skills, should stand firmly on both feet. Their knowledge is our strength.
In turn, technical and vocational educational institutions need to focus on the real needs of the labour market and meet the challenges of the country's new economic course.
In doing so, it is necessary to consistently build partnerships with parents and students, who must bear their share of responsibility for the quality and relevance of the knowledge and skills received.
It is for this purpose that personal educational vouchers are planned to be introduced.
All funds provided by the state for a child's education, including extracurricular activities, will be accumulated in unified educational accounts.
In fact, it will become the primary targeted capital of children, which they will be able to invest in their education.
This step will make it possible to implement in practice the principle of equal opportunities for every citizen of the country.
In this sense of development, it is necessary to continue reforms in higher education as well.
As the quality of domestic universities increases, so will the cost of studying in them.
Therefore, the government plans to allocate educational grants, which, depending on the results of the Unified National Test and other indicators, will be differentiated in size - from 30 to 100%.
Concessional loans for education at 2-3% per annum will also be provided.
These measures will make higher education more accessible and strengthen the ideology of partnership and mutual responsibility in society.
The next sensitive issue is the provision of students with dormitories.
To solve this problem, it is necessary to actively implement the mechanism of public-private partnership with universities and construction companies.
At the same time, I believe that it is wrong to put all the problems on the shoulders of the state.
Therefore, the availability of dormitories should be one of the criteria for private universities' access to state funding.
Undoubtedly, such requirements to educational institutions should be introduced gradually.
The possibility of subsidizing the cost of living for certain socially vulnerable categories of students can also be worked out.
Endowment funds at universities should become a key link in the development of the educational ecosystem.
In the world's leading universities, such endowment funds are the basis for sustainable financing of science and innovation.
The basic factor in improving the welfare of the people is the growth of wages in line with market conditions.
The state will introduce a new methodology for determining the minimum wage, which will enable a gradual increase in its size.
I have decided to raise the minimum wage from 60,000 to 70,000 tenge. This will directly affect the income of 1.8 million citizens.
The pension system will have to be substantially rebooted.
The minimum basic pension rate should be consistently raised to 70% of the subsistence minimum, and the maximum to 120%. Together with earlier decisions, this will make it possible to increase the aggregate pension by an average of 27% by 2025.
Moreover, given the broad social demand, the retirement age for women will be fixed at 61 years until 2028.
It is necessary to develop an effective investment strategy for the Single Accumulative Pension Fund.
Private companies with an impeccable reputation and highly professional teams could be attracted there.
The social security system will also need to be adjusted.
We will increase the childcare payment period to one and a half years as early as January 1, 2023. Parents will be with their children longer at the most important infant age.
For Social Security members, unemployment benefits will go up to 45% of average monthly income. This will help them get back to work more easily and quickly.
An important element of the well-being of citizens will be the creation of a unified system of targeted social assistance. From 2023 it is planned to introduce the Digital Family Card and the Social Wallet.
These initiatives will integrate various measures of state support. They will become clear and, most importantly, point-by-point and proactive.
Comprehensive support for young people is one of our unconditional priorities.
Next year about 100,000 young people will be covered by various employment measures.
To support youth entrepreneurship, a separate mechanism of preferential microcrediting at 2.5% per annum will be launched.
The proposed measures will increase the effectiveness of the social protection system and make our society more harmonious and fair.
The amendments to the Constitution, adopted in a national referendum, have become a symbol of a Fair Kazakhstan.
We have enshrined in the Basic Law the key principle that land and natural resources belong to the people. This is not just a beautiful declaration, but the leitmotif of all reforms.
Every family must receive a real return on the use of the country’s national wealth. That is why I think it is extremely important to launch a fundamentally new program called “National Fund for Children” within the framework of the Year of Children that I have announced.
I propose that 50% of the National Fund’s annual investment income be deposited in special savings accounts for children until they reach the age of 18, with no early withdrawal rights.
On reaching that age, the accumulated amount will be used to purchase housing and get an education. These funds will give the younger generation a real ticket to adulthood.
The fund will truly acquire the status of “national” and will serve the interests of the people. Taking into account the need for careful work on this large-scale undertaking, I instruct that the project be launched on January 1, 2024.
Another initiative in the spirit of the New Kazakhstan will be the annual transfer of at least 7% of the net income of the Samruk-Kazyna Fund to the public fund “Qazaqstan Halqyna”.
In addition, I am sure that successful entrepreneurs and wealthy citizens will continue to contribute to this fund.
In general, for the development of human potential, it is important to attract talented specialists from abroad to the country, especially those who have achieved success in the fields of creativity and entrepreneurship.
We are talking about an effective migration policy. It is necessary to reduce the shortage of the most in- demand and highly qualified personnel.
For valuable professionals in the field of science, health, industry, and IT, the state will introduce exemptions and visas with the right to obtain a residence permit.
Foreign businesspeople who have invested more than 300,000 dollars in our economy, will have an opportunity to get a ten-year visa and a residence permit.
Kandas (ethnic Kazakhs residing permanently beyond the borders of Kazakhstan) resettlement policy and the regulation of internal migration will undergo radical reform.
It is fundamentally important to use approaches that take into account demographic and economic trends, as well as the national interest.
The strength of a nation lies in its people, in their health and profound knowledge.
It is imperative that professionalism and hard work be highly valued in our society.
I repeat one again: hard-working citizens, true professionals should be the most respected people in the country.
It is such citizens who strengthen our state.
At the meeting of the National Kurultai and the congress of the youth wing of the Amanat party “Zhastar Rukhy” I highlighted this topic.
We must honour the people of labour. No matter what a person does, the most important thing is that they do their work faithfully.
It is important that young people want to learn all the subtleties of one particular profession, because the work of professionals is always highly valued.
Our younger generation must be competitive not only in Kazakhstan, but also abroad.
Citizens of neighbouring states work abroad, not neglecting any work. Among them are many professionals who achieve great success in our country as well. We should take an example from such people.
The most important aspect is honest work. We need to educate a generation that understands this well.
Significant attention should be paid to this issue in the ideological work.
FOURTH. RESETTING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
The planned structural economic reforms require a reboot of the system of public administration.
People are tired of empty declarations and endless presentations of a bright future. Citizens expect government agencies to actually fulfill their promises, not just in theory.
Emphasis should be placed on decentralising the system of state administration while increasing the personal responsibility of political officials.
Part of the government's competencies should be transferred to ministries - a specific minister should be responsible for specific sectoral policies, not a “collective cabinet”.
The government will focus on cross-sectoral issues.
The first step in this direction will be the transformation of the Office of the Prime Minister into a compact Government Office, corresponding to the advanced standards of public administration. It’s not about changing the name, but a real reform.
By optimizing the vertical of central agencies, we need to significantly expand the powers of local executive bodies.
This will bring the solution of urgent issues closer to the regions, to the people.
We need to pay close attention to issues of local self-governance, reformatting the activities of public councils, cooperatives of apartment owners and associations of property owners.
We have to deal with the improvement of residential buildings and the infrastructure of the cities. Their appearance and the functioning of internal infrastructure do not meet the expectations of citizens and, frankly, discredit the country in the eyes of foreigners.
I instruct the government to develop a new administrative reform to improve the efficiency and accountability of government agencies.
The New Kazakhstan needs new state managers.
The system of selecting and dismissing civil servants must be restructured to meet the demands of the times. It is important that the civil service become as open as possible to professionals from the private sector.
The talent pool needs to be strengthened.
The Civil Service Agency should become a full-fledged institution of strategic HR.
The government, together with the Agency, should launch a special platform to consolidate the potential of fellow citizens around the world.
Particular attention should be paid to improving the efficiency of governance in the quasi-state sector.
Work in this direction has begun; we need to bring it to the desired result.
For this purpose it is necessary to finally define a new model of work of the “Samruk-Kazyna” Sovereign Wealth Fund.
The best investment and production companies of the world should be taken as a reference point.
The management of state assets must become more transparent.
The government will ensure that the National Report is prepared annually and sent to the Parliament.
FIFTH. LAW AND ORDER
It is necessary to ensure the rule of law and the quality of justice.
This requires the urgent renewal and rehabilitation of the judiciary.
Judges must be highly qualified, honest and incorruptible.
First and foremost, the equal status of all judges must be ensured, reducing their dependence on their superior colleagues.
Many positions of court chairpersons will be transformed into judicial positions.
I propose to use elective mechanisms in the selection by the judges themselves of candidates for the positions of chairpersons of courts and chairpersons of judicial boards.
It is also necessary to begin introducing elements of electability of judges of the Supreme Court. For this purpose, the President will submit candidates for judges to the Senate on an alternative basis.
It is important to create appropriate incentives and conditions to attract strong lawyers to the field.
In order to increase the independence of judges, the status of the Supreme Judicial Council should be strengthened.
The Council will be entrusted with the issues of training of candidate judges, professional development, and extension of the age limit, suspension and termination of powers of acting judges.
This state body should become a full-fledged institution with clear personnel functions, beginning with selection and ending with recommendations for the appointment of judges at all levels.
It is fundamentally important to eradicate the influence of law enforcement agencies by eliminating all instruments of administrative pressure on judges.
Along with the limitation of interference in the activities of judges, their responsibility for serious violations will be strengthened.
Every overturned judicial act in which a judge has made a gross error must be reviewed by a Judicial Jury.
The institution of judicial evaluation and accountability on the basis of the "quality of the administration of justice" must also be reconsidered.
The institution of appeal requires reforms. Here, decisions should be made on the merits, without going back to the first instance.
It is also necessary to expand the scope of administrative justice. Transferring a wide range of administrative misconduct and civil law disputes with government agencies to the procedural code would make domestic justice humane and fair.
At the same time, it is necessary to work on issues of access to justice at the level of district and regional courts.
Businesses rightly consider excessive rates of court fees to be a serious limitation in protecting their interests.
Therefore, reasonable fees should be established for property disputes instead of the existing percentages of the amount of the claim.
It is necessary to reduce the state’s involvement in the judicial process. It is time to deal with the judicial disputes between government agencies.
If two ministries have a different understanding of the law, it is up to the government to settle the matter.
This approach is also applicable to disputes between state bodies and state organisations.
It is not uncommon for different regions to make different decisions in similar cases.
A digital analytical toolkit is now being developed to ensure uniformity in the administration of justice.
The Supreme Court should accelerate the full implementation of this intellectual system.
Of course, this is not the end of the judicial reform, it will be developed by specialists outside the Supreme Court.
This will make the process more adversarial, open to the public, independent experts, and therefore - more effective.
Next, I will focus on the reform of the law enforcement block. This sphere is traditionally under close public scrutiny.
The days of the “Tragic January” were a serious test for the system of law and order.
The rallies, due to provocateurs, turned into mass disturbances, which then turned into an anti-state riot.
Many of the instigators received suspended or lenient sentences.
However, the degree of their guilt is much higher, as these people deliberately inflamed the situation and played a key role in escalating the situation that ended in tragedy.
I have been repeatedly approached by human rights defenders and representatives of the legal community with justifications for the need to toughen penalties for calls for mass disorder.
Their arguments are quite reasonable, so I instruct authorized bodies to work on this issue and take concrete measures.
We must respond harshly to any public provocation and unlawful actions.
People who commit such destructive actions and call for breaking the law will not be able to escape severe punishment.
I would like to remind the whole society of our general principle: “We say yes to political pluralism, we say no to extremism, gangsterism and hooliganism”.
Where purposeful provocations begin, there can be no question of freedom of speech and pluralism of opinion. This is an attack on the stability and security of society and an attempt to undermine the foundations of the state.
Today we need unity more than ever.
Both protesters and law enforcement officers are our fellow citizens who hope not only for objective justice, but also for the forgiveness of society.
The state has already commuted the punishment for those participants in the January events who did not commit serious crimes.
Many of the lawbreakers have realized their guilt and are repentant of what they have done.
I think they deserve a second chance. That is why I have decided to conduct a one-time amnesty for participants in the January events.
Of course, the amnesty will not apply to the main persons involved in the organisation of the riots, as well as those accused of state treason and attempted violent change of power.
Persons who committed terrorist and extremist crimes, recidivists, as well as those who used torture, will also not fall under the amnesty.
With humanism, we as a nation will learn from this tragedy and not allow it to happen again.
Families of the victims of the January events, who are in a difficult financial situation, will receive financial support.
I believe that the “Qazaqstan Halqyna” Foundation will also make a worthy contribution to this noble cause.
An important lesson of the January tragedy was the need to significantly increase public safety.
Recently there have been more and more cases of serious crimes - murders and gang warfare.
They are committed with a particular cynicism and are a challenge to our entire society.
This dangerous trend must be stopped at the root - by toughening punishment and eliminating parole for such crimes.
The issue of the criminalisation of domestic violence has long been raised in society.
Law enforcement agencies doubt the need for this step, as they believe that it will lead to a decrease in the detection of such offenses.
There is some truth in this. However that may be, we cannot turn a blind eye to the many cases of domestic violence.
Impunity for troublemakers unties their hands and basically leaves their victims defenseless.
I think it is time to toughen responsibility for such acts.
Victims of domestic violence should not have to fear social condemnation or pressure from others.
In order to ensure that, police officers must work very sensitively with them, taking all necessary measures.
The growing use of synthetic drugs poses a great threat to the health of the nation.
The dynamics are sharply negative: over the past three years, the volume of synthetic drugs seized from circulation has increased tenfold.
Synthetic drugs are becoming cheaper and more accessible every year.
They are almost freely sold through social networks, messengers, and even delivered to homes.
Given the scale of this extremely dangerous social disease, the fight against the production and distribution of synthetic drugs must take on a national character.
Therefore, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive plan to combat drug addiction and drug business.
Special attention should be paid to the tide of Internet and telephone fraud.
Law enforcement agencies need to strengthen information and analytical work to identify and neutralize such threats.
It is also necessary to systematically improve the legal and financial literacy of citizens.
It is important to consistently step up efforts to uncover the underlying mechanisms, to search for the true organizers of the corrupt and shadow schemes of embezzlement of budgetary funds and the national wealth.
The Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure should be audited, and everything that does not work or hinders justice should be removed.
It is equally important that they are not subject to endless adjustments after they have been amended.
Since 2015, more than 1,200 amendments have already been made to the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure.
It is unacceptable that the laws should be changed to suit the momentary situation or narrow corporate interests.
Therefore, the authority to adjust criminal and criminal procedural legislation should be transferred to the Ministry of Justice.
This will require strengthening human resources capacity and improving the quality of lawmaking activities of the agency.
Dear Compatriots!
Today we have outlined the key areas of the coming reforms. We have to reboot all areas of the state and society.
We are carrying out political modernisation in accordance with the fundamental formula “a strong President - an influential Parliament - an accountable Government”. Reforms in this direction will continue.
We will strengthen nationwide harmony, the partnership of government and society, following the concept of the “listening state”.
We should not focus on dividing lines, but rather consolidate for the sake of achieving ambitious goals. This is the deeper meaning of the idea of a New and Fair Kazakhstan.
We face the particularly important task of preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.
To further strengthen statehood, we need cohesion. There is no other way.
The unity of the people has always been our most important value, which is even more important today.
Our people have always put peace and stability above all else.
At this difficult time, we must become even stronger in our unity.
That is why it is important to stop sowing mutual distrust and creating discord in society.
Dear Members of Parliament,
Dear compatriots!
I want to share with you some thoughts that have a direct bearing on the future of our state.
In today’s geopolitical environment, we need to consistently strengthen our statehood, firmly pursue the course of reform and renewal.
In our actions, we must be extremely pragmatic and proceed from the long-term interests of the country.
It is extremely important to maintain the momentum of reforms, to solve all political issues without putting them off indefinitely.
To do this, we need to rationally build the upcoming electoral cycles.
As you know, the next presidential election is due in 2024 and the parliamentary election in 2025.
I believe it is necessary to begin a comprehensive reset of key state institutions in accordance with the new strategy.
This will allow us to intensify our joint work for the well-being of every citizen and the prosperity of the entire country.
The political tradition of the authorities keeping their plans secret from society must become a thing of the past.
That is why today I intend to publicly present a schedule for future election campaigns.
I propose holding a snap presidential election this autumn.
For the successful implementation of radical and comprehensive reforms aimed at building a Fair Kazakhstan, a new mandate of trust of the people is required.
For me, the interests of the state are paramount. That is why I am ready to go for an early presidential election, even though I am shortening my own term of office.
In addition, after much reflection, I have come to the conclusion that there is a need to review the number and length of presidential terms.
I propose that the President’s mandate be limited to one term of 7 years without the right to be re-elected. What is the basis of this initiative?
On the one hand, 7 years is a sufficient period to implement any ambitious program.
On the other hand, limiting the presidential mandate to one term will ensure the maximum focus of the head of state on the strategic tasks of national development.
Life does not stand still, the dynamics of global processes and social development within the country are accelerating every day.
The constitutional amendment I propose would significantly reduce the risks of monopolisation of power. This is why I propose the introduction of a one-term presidency.
We must establish civilized principles for the formation and functioning of government.
The new presidential system will strengthen the political stability and sustainability of Kazakhstan’s model of social structure.
After the elections, I will submit the initiative limiting the President’s powers to one term to Parliament. If it is adopted, a new political era will begin in Kazakhstan.
Within the framework of political modernisation in our country, the development of parliamentarism is central.
The updated Constitution sets a whole new standard for a political system with fair and open rules of the game.
The registration procedures for political parties have already been greatly simplified.
New mechanisms for forming parliament and maslikhats based on party lists and single-member districts will be introduced.
In general, all the institutional changes envisioned by the constitutional reform should be legally completed by the end of the year.
They will lead to an increase in the number of political parties, strengthen political competition, and contribute to the emergence of a new wave of people’s deputies.
Elected according to the old patterns, the representative bodies of power should be naturally renewed, passing through an extraordinary electoral cycle.
Therefore, I propose holding elections to the Mazhilis and Maslikhats of all levels in the first half of next year.
We will get a new composition of deputies representing the interests of broad groups of citizens. I am confident that this will improve the efficiency of the maslikhats and the Parliament.
In the future, the government will be able to include representatives not only of the political forces that received the majority of votes, but also of other parliamentary parties. This will allow the executive branch to make more balanced decisions that meet the needs of society as a whole.
Thus, the presidential election will be held this year, the election of deputies to the Mazhilis and Maslikhats will be held next year, and then the government will be formed.
As a result, by mid-2023 there will be a reset and renewal of all major political institutions: the President, the Parliament, and the Government.
We are building a Fair Kazakhstan with open competition and equal opportunities for everyone.
It is fundamentally important to conduct large-scale political change with transparency, honesty, and mutual trust.
The public announcement of the timing and sequence of the new electoral cycle is consistent with the principles of openness in decision-making.
All these steps consistently flesh out our basic formula of “a strong President - an influential Parliament - an accountable Government.”
The future of Kazakhstan is born today - in our words and deeds, intentions and actions.
Every day we make a choice between the old and the new, stagnation and development. I urge all my fellow citizens to rally around our national interest.
We will be a strong and successful nation when each one of us is united in every way and committed to the principles of justice.
The construction of a Fair Kazakhstan is just beginning. There is a thorny path ahead. This course is immutable and will be continued in all circumstances of internal and external nature.
There will be no place for idleness and sabotage, we will not deviate from the intended path!
Together we will build a Fair Kazakhstan!
The bright future of our sacred homeland is in our hands!
The Department of State Assets of the city of Almaty invites graduates of educational organizations implementing educational programs of technical and vocational, post-secondary, higher and postgraduate education in their profession, who have completed their studies for 3 years and are not older than 25 years to undergo an internship under the youth program for 6 months.
Also, unemployed persons, regardless of registration at the employment center, from among young people under 25 years of age, including the NEET category, who have no work experience under the "First Workplace" project for 18 months.
Unemployed, students and high school students of OSH in their free time, not provided with work due to downtime – we invite you to social work until the end of this year!
Contacts 8(727)3901811
E-mail: a.zharbakulova@almaty.gov.kz
May 27, 2022 for the purpose of information and explanatory work on the ongoing political reforms in the framework of the Address of the Head of State dated March 26, 2022 "New Kazakhstan: the path of renewal and modernization", as well as on the issues of holding a referendum, in the State Assets Department of the city of Almaty with employees of the organization a meeting was held.The discussion touched upon the main topics on the amendments to the Constitution, namely: the powers of the head of state and the restrictions associated with his tenure; exit from political parties of chairmen and members of the Central Election Commission, the Accounts Committee, the Constitutional Council; the procedure for the formation and functions of the Mazhilis and the Senate of the Parliament; transformation of the Accounts Committee for Control over the Execution of the Republican Budget into the Supreme Audit Chamber; changing the order of formation of maslikhats; creation of the Constitutional Court; abolition of the death penalty.
A citywide clean-up was held in Almaty with the participation of the head of the city, Yerbolat Dosayev. More than 60 thousand residents took part in the cleaning of courtyards, parks and squares, the shores of reservoirs.
During the environmental campaign, mass planting of trees was carried out on the territory of the Saka mounds, in the pine forest of the Alatau district, on the shores of Lake Sairan and the Kargaly River. In total, more than 5 thousand trees were planted.
During the clean-up work was also carried out to improve the aesthetic appearance of the city: painting turnstiles, supports, benches, urns.
502 units of special equipment of municipal services and enterprises of the city were involved in garbage removal.
In total, residents of the city collected 10,910 cubic meters of garbage.
For the participants of the subbotnik, there were organized points of sale of drinks, autocofains.
Akimat of Almaty invites residents to take part in a citywide clean–up within the framework of the republican action Birge - taza Qazaqstan on April 9. Time: from 9.00 to 12.00. More than 2000 employees of public utilities and more than 400 units of special equipment will attend the clean-up.
It is planned to clean up the city territory after the winter period, cleaning recreational areas, parks, squares, courtyards, as well as adjacent territories to trade, catering and other organizations. Mass planting of trees is planned.
If necessary, we ask the heads of organizations of all forms of ownership, including the AXIS, KSK, to provide the participants of the subbotnik with tools, gloves, bags for garbage collection in the adjacent territory and in the yards.
It is recommended to put garbage bags on the side of the road. They will be picked up by the municipal services of the city.
List of places by city districts:
1) In the Alatau district in the Sosnovy Bor ecopark, mass planting of trees and cleaning of the territory in adjacent green areas are planned.
2) In Almaly district, a mass clean-up is planned on the eastern shore of Lake Sairan.
3) In the Auezovsky district – on the western shores of Lake Sairan and the Bolshaya Almatinka River south of Zhandosova Street.
4) In the Bostandyk district – along the dividing strip of Abai Ave.
5) In Zhetysu district – along the Big Almaty Canal named after D. Kunaev.
6) In the Medeu district – the Kazachka River Street behind the Vostochka residential complex, along the D. Kunaev Grand Almaty Canal, Divaev Street from VOAD to the Mountain Giant PC.
7) In the Nauryzbay district – Abaya Ave. in the area of the Kargaly River and the Kargaly River north of Baibak Batyr Street.
8) In the Turksib district – in logs o
NEW KAZAKHSTAN: THE PATH OF RENEWAL AND MODERNISATION
March 16, 2022
Dear compatriots!
Dear friends!
Today’s Address has a special significance. Its content and scope go beyond one year.
We have set ourselves ambitious goals.
Together we have begun the construction of a New Kazakhstan.
Last year, our country reached an important milestone, the 30th anniversary of its independence. This is a short period by historical standards.
Under the leadership of the First President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, we have come a long way, we have made significant achievements, but we can lose everything if we do not maintain unity. The upheavals at the beginning of the year have clearly confirmed this.
The events of January shook the society. Our people faced an unprecedented challenge, with the country’s integrity under threat. During these days, we have deeply realized the lasting value of independence and how important peace, stability, and harmony are.
Thanks to our unity, we have defended our state. We have taken timely measures and have decisively repelled the terrorists.
I have never concealed anything from the citizens. I spoke openly about all the problems during the pandemic. During the days of “Tragic January” I made several speeches to the nation, giving details of the situation.
Every decision I made was based on the country’s interests. And this approach was inviolable for me.
Unfortunately, during the January events many of our compatriots died because of the criminal actions of radicals and terrorists. Once again, I express my deepest condolences to their families and loved ones. We will do everything in our power to ensure that such a tragedy will never happen again.
It is our duty to bring to justice all the bandits and terrorists involved in these bloody crimes. We must learn important lessons from the January events.
We must no longer allow the peace and tranquility in our country to be disrupted and its security to be endangered.
Frankly speaking, there are all kinds of rumours and speculations in society, which mislead people and create a false picture of events. It is therefore essential to publish reliable information and give an objective assessment. We must do everything so that people understand the reasons for what happened.
Just yesterday, special hearings were held in Parliament, at which law enforcement agencies presented a full report on the results of the investigation. We have never had such a broad discussion.
Deputies and journalists received open answers to questions worrying the society. This shows that the authorities are primarily interested in a fair assessment of the January events. And I fully share this approach. We must tell the truth – this is my principled stand.
Investigations by the Interdepartmental Investigative Task Force are still ongoing. I am instructing the law enforcement agencies to publish the results of their work on an ongoing basis.
During the events of “Tragic January” and the subsequent state of emergency, about 2,000 people were detained for various offences. At that time, I instructed the Prosecutor General’s Office to determine the degree of their guilt and, if there were no aggravating circumstances, to mitigate the punishment of detainees. As a result, many citizens were released.
At the same time, those who have committed serious crimes will be fully accountable to the law. To do otherwise, to submit to the shouters, provocateurs and populists would be to betray the memory of the innocent victims.
Criminal proceedings have been launched against several hundred people. We have acknowledged the facts when law enforcement officers used prohibited methods of interrogation and even torture on detainees. These barbaric manifestations of the Middle Ages run counter to the principles of any progressive society. They are unacceptable to us as well.
As soon as the first cases were reported, I gave instructions to investigate them thoroughly.
In addition, the Human Rights Ombudsperson was actively involved almost from the beginning. A group of human rights defenders and members of the National Council of Public Trust freely visited the detention centres, examined the detention conditions of those who participated in the January events and assessed their complaints.
The Ombudsperson and independent public commissions led by respected lawyers worked closely with the prosecutor’s office, openly expressing and defending their positions.
This work demonstrated the transparency and democracy of the investigative process and made it possible to treat each appeal and each complaint individually. As a result, the risk of wrongful convictions has been significantly reduced.
In my opinion, this practice of open cooperation between civil society and authorised bodies should be firmly entrenched in our country. I would like to take this opportunity to thank public activists and lawyers for their active position and professionalism.
Provisional results of the investigation are already in. It is clear that the conspirators were trying to seize power. The question arises, what prompted them to take such a step? The answer is obvious.
In recent years, Kazakhstan has embarked on a path of radical modernisation and transformation. Far-reaching transformations have begun in various spheres. Some influential persons did not like this. They hoped to continue their years-long illegal activity. Moreover, they were eager to gain power.
The conspirators formed an underground group of professional mercenaries, armed bandits and traitors from among the officials. Internal and external enemies of our state joined together to seize power. They directed peaceful protests in a destructive direction and used the people for their criminal purposes.
Terrorists attacked government buildings, strategic infrastructure and businesses. They shot at peaceful citizens in order to blame the authorities. Foreign radical forces tried to exploit this situation. They wanted to turn Kazakhstan into a conflict zone, to tear apart our country, to destroy peaceful life and overthrow the President. It was an unprecedented challenge to our statehood.
Their criminal scheme failed, however.
I said openly at the time: no matter what happens, I will always be with my people.
It is not for nothing that the people say, “Ishten shykkan zhau zhaman” (“There is no worse enemy than a traitor”). Among those who tried to pull off a coup, there were well-known people who held high posts. They are state traitors.
Among the traitors there are leaders of military and special services, who have prevented the security forces from taking lawful actions, misinformed the leadership about the situation in the cities, took control of the government and other communication channels.
In a word, they used every possible way to destabilize the country. As a result, we had to ask for help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
We took that step in accordance with all domestic and international norms. Peacekeeping forces did not fire a single shot in our country, they only protected strategic facilities. All of this was clearly stipulated.
Two weeks later, once the situation returned to normal, the peacekeeping contingent completely withdrew from Kazakhstan. The CSTO is a collective organisation, of which our country is also a member.
We must not depreciate the important role of the peacekeeping mission, but in the end, we defeated the bandits with our own forces.
In this regard, I would like to separately address the following issue. The betrayal of the conspirators must not tarnish the reputation of the law enforcement agencies.
Our compatriots and our brothers are part of those agencies. They have proven that they stand by the people and are ready to fight for their motherland to the end. They have remained faithful to their oath, selflessly protecting the state. I pay tribute to the law enforcers who bravely withstood the threat at the critical moment.
At the same time, many of our citizens have voluntarily formed self-defense groups, thereby participating in protecting public order. I thank all who showed courage, unity and solidarity at the crucial moment.
During these days, our nation has demonstrated its unity and willingness to overcome any challenges. Through patriotism, we have preserved our sacred Independence.
The January events were the biggest test for our statehood. We were standing on the edge of a precipice. With one wrong step, we could have lost our state.
The investigation into the conspiracy by the security forces and their accomplices continues at an intense pace, and is classified.
There is a lot of work ahead with witnesses, expert examinations and the study of various information.
One thing I can say is that there was a large-scale, detailed operation aimed at overthrowing the top leadership and discrediting it in the eyes of the people and the foreign public.
To achieve this goal, the conspirators did not hesitate to use professionally trained militants, whose task was to spread chaos in Almaty, our largest city, to instill fear into people and make them believe in the fatal outcome of events and to destabilize the situation in the country.
Therefore, I assure you that all those responsible for these tragic events will be punished, no matter what positions they occupy in society.
During those days, there was no choice but to take tough and drastic measures. At the most decisive moment, I did everything in my power for the country. It is my duty as the President and as a citizen.
Distinguished members of Parliament!
My dear fellow citizens!
My main priority as President has always been and will be the implementation of the reforms needed by the people.
I am absolutely confident that a steady progress of the country and large-scale social and economic reforms are impossible without political modernisation.
In two and a half years we have achieved substantial results in this direction.
In the framework of the four political reform packages that I have put forward, a number of important initiatives aimed at further democratisation of the country have been implemented.
The extent of the positive changes can be judged by the fact that more than ten laws have been passed in the political sphere alone.
Take, for example, the new democratic law on peaceful assembly.
It allowed activists, including opposition-minded social activists, to freely hold rallies and freely express their opinions.
This initiative has strengthened the roots of a new political culture and increased mutual responsibility and trust in society.
Yet certain groups of provocative activists believe it is possible and even necessary to violate this law, which is democratic in nature.
I declare there will be no further concessions. This law, as well as others, must be strictly enforced.
Our law-abiding citizens have already paid too high a price for this kind of free-will and irresponsibility.
The law is the same for all, both for those in power and the public.
Political transformation has shown the willingness of citizens to make decisions at all levels, from local government to national issues.
The political transformation is aimed at forming fair and just “rules of the game”, eradicating favouritism and monopolies in all spheres of life.
But this logic and dynamics of events does not suit everyone.
Those who were used to relying on behind-the-scenes schemes are panicking about losing their privileges and their sources of income.
They decided that they should act without delay to undermine the foundations of our statehood. You could say they went against their own people.
After the “Tragic January”, many believed that there would be a rollback – the authorities would start to “tighten the screws”, reduce the pace of modernisation.
But we will not deviate from the planned path, but, on the contrary, accelerate systemic changes in all spheres of life.
I have been carefully considering the initiatives proposed today even before the January events.
Frankly, some experts and government officials have advised me to take my time and postpone these plans until better times. They say, why change the system if it can be used in the current situation to your advantage.
Others quite rightly feared rampant street democracy, predicting various negative scenarios like Gorbachev’s perestroika, especially since the geopolitical situation has become extremely complicated.
But I am firmly convinced that our country still needs fundamental reforms. Otherwise there could be stagnation.
We have seen its devastating consequences in recent Soviet history. In fact, the January events to some extent were also the result of domestic stagnation.
Over the past two months, I have outlined a range of priority tasks in the socio-economic sphere, ensuring national and public security.
Today, I would like to present a program of comprehensive modernization of the country’s political system. It is based on a long-standing public demand for radical changes.
It takes into account the recommendations of deputies of the Parliament, the Constitutional Council, the Central Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and reputable experts.
Fruitful discussions were held with members of the National Council of Public Trust on this topic.
When developing the document, specific proposals of researchers and public figures, political parties and non-governmental organizations were carefully considered.
In general, the proposed reforms reflect a wide range of views that exist in our society. They act as a logical continuation of the transformations that have already begun and solve two urgent tasks.
Firstly, they promote consistent democratization, and secondly, they ensure the stability and manageability of the state.
This is especially important against the background of fundamental social shifts taking place within the country, as well as growing geopolitical tensions.
The current international situation in many ways resembles the most acute phases of the Cold War.
But the current situation in terms of its intensity, tough sanctions stand-off and unpredictable consequences for the whole world can without exaggeration be described as unprecedented. In any case, this was not the case before.
Therefore, it is vitally important for us not to deviate from our goals, to maintain national unity and solidarity.
* * *
I have repeatedly said that no one needs reforms for the sake of reforms. We do not implement them for the fun of the public, for the sake of some ephemeral goals, and beautiful but obviously unattainable indicators.
The practice of declaring success on paper when this is not the case in reality is a thing of the past. The people do not need abstract ideas and promises, but tangible changes for the better.
We must speak openly about existing problems and work together to find the best ways to solve them.
It is important to ensure fair and open competition, and to permanently eliminate all artificial monopolies both in the economy and in politics.
The growth of people’s well-being is possible only in conditions of genuine competition. The management system focused on the over-concentration of powers has already lost its effectiveness. It is not able to consolidate civil society with its diverse views and beliefs.
Therefore, we need well-considered steps to restructure the political model of Kazakhstan’s development.
First of all, we are talking about the final transition from a super-presidential form of government to a presidential republic with a strong Parliament.
Such a system will ensure an optimal balance of power institutions and contribute to the country’s sustainable development.
We are faced with the task of strengthening the role of Parliament, which will be an important factor in the successful implementation of the “listening state” concept.
We have a clear vision of the future and the contours of a New Kazakhstan – an effective state with a strong civil society.
We must implement the key formula of our state-building – “A strong President – an influential Parliament – an accountable Government”.
To this end, I propose a number of initiatives that, I am sure, will make this strategic vision a reality.
First. On the powers of the President
As I have already said, Kazakhstan has developed a super-presidential model of government.
At the initial stage of the country’s development, it was justified. But we are not standing still – society is changing, the country is changing. And our political system must constantly adapt to new realities.
Today, literally everything is focused on the President, and this is fundamentally wrong. We need to gradually move away from this practice.
For me, the long-term interests of the state are more important than any additional levers of power and situational influence. Therefore, at the January congress of the Amanat party, I announced my intention to leave the post of its chairman this year.
Merging party structures with the state apparatus is highly undesirable. Monopoly in politics inevitably leads to various social diseases and degradation of the state.
Political dominance needs to be put up with a reliable barrier. I propose to legislate the President’s obligation to terminate his membership in the party for the period of his term of office.
This provision will increase political competition and ensure equal conditions for the development of all parties. In doing so, we will save the country’s future leaders from the temptation to take over the main political institutions.
Based on the same logic, it is necessary to introduce into our legislation a provision on mandatory withdrawal from the party of the chairpersons and members of the Central Election Commission, the Accounts Committee and the Constitutional Council.
At the same time, we see that the over-concentration of powers in the centre is also projected at the regional level. Therefore, it is necessary to prohibit by law akims and their deputies from holding positions in party branches.
Such decisions will make it possible to form a multipolar party system.
Today, it has become obvious to the whole society that it was the monopolisation of political and economic activity that played perhaps the most important role in the January events.
But an important lesson of the “Tragic January” is that the concentration of power in the hands of the highest official in the state unnecessarily increases the influence of those close to him, as well as of financial and oligarchic groups. And they perceive the state as a personal fiefdom.
Nepotism, in whatever country, inevitably leads to negative personnel selection and becomes a fertile ground for corruption to flourish.
The Head of State should act as an unshakable guarantor of equal opportunities for all citizens.
Therefore, a legislative ban on holding positions of political civil servants and managers in the quasi-public sector will be introduced for the close family of the President. I think it would not be superfluous to fix this provision in the Constitution.
The overconcentration of the President’s power is also expressed in an excessive number of his powers.
The Head of State has the right to cancel or suspend actions of the akims of regions and cities of republican significance.
This rule helps to root out the excessive practice of “micro-management” and reduces the independence of local executive bodies.
Moreover, right now the President has the right to remove district and even rural akims from office.
Such legislative provisions should be abolished.
The rejection of excessive presidential powers will be an important factor that will ensure the irreversibility of political modernisation in the country.
The proposed initiatives will fundamentally change the “rules of the game” and form a solid foundation for further democratisation of our society.
Second. Reformatting the representative branch of government
By consistently reducing the powers of the President, we will significantly strengthen the role of the Parliament and thereby increase the institutional stability of the state.
The country needs a strong representative government, in which responsible deputies with a mandate of people’s confidence will play an active role in state-building.
First of all, in my opinion, it is necessary to review the process of formation and a number of functions of the Senate.
Currently, the upper house consists of 49 deputies (two elected senators from each region) and 15 senators appointed by the President.
This design made it possible to take due account of regional specifics and allowed the Head of State to directly influence the legislative process.
For its time, it was quite progressive and effective. But today we need to move forward.
The presidential quota in the Senate should be considered not as a means of control, but as a mechanism for taking into account the votes and opinions of social groups that are poorly represented in Parliament.
Therefore, I have decided to reduce the presidential quota in the Senate from 15 to 10 deputies.
Moreover, five of them will be recommended by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK), and not elected by it, as is currently the case.
The Lower House of Parliament should reflect the entire electoral landscape of the country without giving anyone artificial preferences.
Thus, we will abolish the APK quota in the Mazhilis, which, in my opinion, is correct both from a political and legal point of view.
This quota is transferred to the Senate and reduced from 9 to 5 deputies. Accordingly, the total number of deputy seats in the Mazhilis will decrease. As they say, better less, but better.
This initiative will provide mandates and additional votes for various ethnic groups in the upper house.
In general, I consider the existence of the Senate as the upper house of Parliament to be natural and justified.
There are quite a few states in the world with a unitary structure and a smaller population than in Kazakhstan, but, nevertheless, they have bicameral parliaments, particularly in Europe.
Another thing is that our Senate should become a chamber that really represents the interests of the country’s regions. And this will require a reform of its powers.
According to the Constitution, the Senate has the right to adopt or not adopt bills approved by the Mazhilis. In other words, the Mazhilis does not actually have the opportunity to overcome the objections of the upper house.
In order to create a more balanced parliamentary system, it is necessary to review this practice.
I consider it expedient to introduce a norm that presupposes the right of the Senate only to approve or reject laws that have already been adopted by the Mazhilis.
Consequently, it is the Mazhilis that has the right to adopt laws.
The powers of the Senate, in turn, should be supplemented with the right to approve candidates for the posts of Chairpersons of the Constitutional Council and the Supreme Judicial Council.
This initiative will significantly strengthen the checks and balances in the political system. And it will significantly simplify the legislative procedure.
Along with this, the functionality of the Mazhilis will also be expanded.
Many large-scale projects and programs are being developed in our country, but their implementation is often far from ideal for various reasons.
It is necessary to strengthen parliamentary control over the quality of execution of the national budget. To do this, I propose to transform the Accounts Committee into the Supreme Audit Chamber, whose chairman should report twice a year to the deputies of the lower house. This will further enhance the status of the Mazhilis.
To increase citizens’ confidence in the representative government, special attention should be paid to the maslikhats (local governing bodies).
Strong maslikhats contribute to solving current problems and improving the quality of life in the regions (oblasts).
I believe that to strengthen their independence, the post of a chairperson of the maslikhat should be introduced.
In addition, in order to systematically strengthen the influence of maslikhats, I consider it necessary to change the current procedure for appointing regional mayors.
Currently, deputies of maslikhats agree or do not agree on the only candidate proposed by the Head of State.
It is necessary to make appropriate amendments to the legislation regulating the right of the President to submit on an alternative basis at least two candidates for the posts of akims of regions and cities of republican significance.
Thus, the President will appoint akims of regions and cities of national significance, taking into account the results of consideration in maslikhats.
Essentially, we are talking about indirect elections of regional leaders.
At the same time, the Head of State retains the right to dismiss the heads of regions without consulting the maslikhats.
All the presented initiatives on reformatting the representative branch of government are aimed at creating a New Kazakhstan with a strong parliamentary culture and influential people’s deputies.
THIRD. Improvement of the electoral system
The key goal of the country’s political modernization is to increase the role of citizens in governing the state, including through electoral processes.
Fifteen years ago, as part of the constitutional reform, we switched to the proportional model of elections to the lower house of Parliament. Then, in 2018, the proportional principle was introduced in the elections of deputies to maslikhats (i.e. local councils). These steps have given a serious impetus to the development of our party system.
However, along with this positive trend, the negative consequences of such decisions began to appear.
We must recognize that non-partisan citizens were actually deprived of the opportunity to be elected not only to the Mazhilis (i.e. lower house of Parliament), but also to the local representative bodies.
As a result, electoral processes have lost their former appeal to citizens, and political alienation has increased. People simply stopped believing that their vote matters and is able to change life in the country for the better. By and large, many voters today do not know what the members of Parliament look like.
Taking into account these negative factors, I propose to switch to a more harmonious – mixed electoral system, which fully takes into account the rights of all citizens.
A proportional-majoritarian model would better reflect the interests of voters at both the national and regional levels.
The members of Parliament corps of the Mazhilis will be formed according to the following scheme – 70% on a proportional basis and 30% on a majoritarian basis. In addition, a mixed model will be introduced in the elections of maslikhats of regions and cities of national significance.
The return to this electoral system version is a very serious step. It is a logical continuation of the earlier decision to lower the threshold for parties to enter the Mazhilis and maslikhats.
Now, in fact, each region will get an opportunity to elect at least one representative to the lower chamber of Parliament. The new model will form a wider palette of views in the Mazhilis and make it more inclusive.
At the same time, in districts and cities, where close interaction between members of representative bodies and citizens is required, I propose a complete transition to the majoritarian system. This would create a more competitive political environment at the local level and open up additional opportunities for the emergence of new authoritative politicians.
The connection between members of representative bodies and voters will also strengthen the transition to the imperative mandate. This is an additional lever of influence on people’s representatives, because there will be a possibility to recall them in case of improper fulfillment of their electoral promises.
Such an approach would greatly reinforce democratic traditions and foster a new political culture based on mutual responsibility and trust.
The combination of proportional and majoritarian systems will preserve the role of political parties as one of the key institutions of civil society. It will create conditions for a fairer electoral process and effective governance.
I am confident that the introduction of a mixed electoral model will increase the electoral activity of citizens and their involvement in the comprehensive modernisation of the country.
FOURTH. Expanding opportunities for the development of the party system
The course to build the New Kazakhstan comes from the need to ensure fair and free political competition.
To do this, we must create the most favourable environment possible for the institutional and organisational development of political parties.
Party registration procedures will be greatly simplified.
The registration threshold should be reduced fourfold, from 20,000 to 5,000 people.
The minimum required number of people at regional branches will be reduced threefold, from 600 to 200 individuals.
The minimum number of citizens’ initiative group to create a party will be reduced by almost a third, from 1,000 to 700 people.
In turn, the timing of the founding congress and the period of formation of branches will increase.
Liberalisation in this matter will greatly enhance the process of development of the political space in the country.
New parties will emerge, capable of articulating and effectively addressing the urgent problems of their electorate.
FIFTH. Modernisation of the electoral process
International experience shows that the system of organisation of elections is in constant change, the search for optimal solutions for fair and transparent elections is on-going.
In addition to information and technological factors, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly influenced this process in recent years.
In many countries, alternative forms of voting are expanding, including electronic, early voting, remote voting, and multi-day voting.
Therefore, it is necessary to study the world’s best practices and, if necessary, gradually introduce them.
In the era of rapid development of communication technologies, the activity of candidates and parties in social networks is of great importance. But the current legislation does not regulate campaigning on social networks. In spite of this, during election campaigns it was conducted in one way or another.
In order to eliminate this omission, I propose to legally allow campaigning on social networks, fixing the relevant regulations and rules.
It is also necessary to legally formalise the activity of observers. This institution is an indispensable element of transparent elections.
The history of democracy is, first of all, the history of improving electoral procedures and control over their observance.
I believe observers should have clearly spelled out rights and a clearly defined area of responsibility.
Territorial election commissions also play an important role in the organisation and conduct of elections. With the introduction of direct elections of rural akims (mayors) last year, the electoral process throughout the country became, in fact, permanent.
The principles of operation of territorial election commissions should be reviewed, transferring them to a professional basis.
In order to eliminate the likelihood of double voting, as well as voting at any polling station, it is necessary to consider the feasibility of forming a single electronic voter database.
And in order to prevent individuals from influencing the course of the election, it is necessary to set limits on donations to election funds.
According to the Constitution and international law, any elections in Kazakhstan are strictly our internal affair. But this norm does not exclude potential attempts to influence their results from abroad.
Given these factors and the general increase in various hybrid threats in the world, including the use of electoral technologies, effective measures should be taken at the legislative level to prevent any possibility of foreign interference in our country's elections.
First and foremost, it concerns ensuring maximum financial transparency for all participants in election campaigns, be they candidates, observers or the media.
SIXTH. Strengthening human rights institutions
The Constitution has supreme legal force and is the basis of the country’s entire legal system. But it is not uncommon that it is difficult to give an unambiguous answer as to whether certain legislative acts or decisions comply with its provisions.
In Kazakhstan, the Constitutional Council interprets various legal norms. However, citizens are deprived of the opportunity to appeal directly to it for clarification.
At the same time, in most countries of the world there is such an institution as the Constitutional Court, where everyone can send the appropriate requests. At the dawn of Independence, this body existed in Kazakhstan as well.
Experts agree that its activities are more effective in ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Basic Law.
Given these circumstances, I propose to establish a Constitutional Court. The Prosecutor General and the Human Rights Ombudsperson should also be granted the right to appeal to the Constitutional Court.
I am confident these initiatives will be an important step in building a fair and lawful state, institutionally strengthening the system of checks and balances and protecting the constitutional rights of citizens.
As you know, I pay special attention to the protection of fundamental rights of citizens.
In 2020, our country acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides for the abolition of the death penalty. And last year I signed a decree on further measures in the field of human rights, aimed at the long-term and comprehensive development of this sphere. A number of other progressive initiatives were implemented with the participation of the National Council of Public Trust.
However, the human rights issues require constant improvement.
I believe that in order to finally establish the decision to abolish the death penalty, the Constitution must be amended accordingly.
It is important to introduce a systematic approach to the investigation of crimes involving torture.
To date, there is no specific body responsible for this area. This practice is fraught with certain risks.
Therefore, I propose to assign these functions to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
This approach will ensure the objectivity and impartiality of the investigation and will ensure punishment for failures in the sphere of law enforcement.
In addition, systemic measures should be taken to reduce the level of violence in society.
In this respect, an important role is played by effective counteraction to offenses in the sphere of family and domestic relations.
Today, there are increasing number of appeals from citizens and public activists regarding the need to toughen penalties for violence against women and children.
Previously, I gave instructions to determine the expediency of criminalising such offenses.
I instruct the Prosecutor General’s Office to conduct a comprehensive study of this issue and solve this problem.
In general, in order to increase the rule of law and systematically strengthen human rights activities, I think it is advisable to adopt separate constitutional laws on the prosecutor’s office and on the Human Rights Ombudsperson.
The rule of law cannot be guaranteed without truly independent, open and professional courts at all levels.
The state is doing a lot of work in this direction.
A new recruitment system is being implemented, and the transparency of judicial processes and procedures is being consistently improved.
The key role in this matter is played by the Supreme Judicial Council, which ensures the constitutional powers of the President to form courts and guarantees the independence and immunity of judges.
It is fundamentally important that its activities are fully transparent and open to public monitoring.
This can be achieved through the practice of online broadcasts of competitive procedures of the Supreme Judicial Council and the publication of detailed, reasoned explanations of their results.
Jury trials allow for greater civil participation in the administration of justice.
In Kazakhstan, jurors can render a verdict only for especially grave crimes. I think we should go further and expand the categories of cases subject to a jury trial.
This novelty will contribute to the democratisation of the judicial system and increase public confidence in it.
The state will pay special attention to the creation of an open information space and in-demand and strong media.
As an effective channel of communication between the authorities and the people, the media can and should raise pressing issues. But this should be done with great civic responsibility, not working on orders from outside, contributing to the polarisation of our society, and not for shady fees, participating in a hidden struggle of political clans.
Journalists should sincerely care about their country and its citizens. It is not for nothing that the media are called the “fourth estate” which is why you should exercise your influence on the minds and hearts of the people with great care. This is my special appeal to our journalists.
I am convinced that there can be no further democratic transformation without an independent and responsible media.
It is therefore necessary to revise the law on media to take into account the interests of the state, the demands of society, and the trends in the development of the media sphere.
Another important factor in the country’s sustainable and comprehensive progress is the activity of non-governmental organisations.
The non-governmental sector invariably raises important social issues and promotes their comprehensive resolution.
The challenges facing Kazakhstan today require intensified interaction between the state and non-governmental organisations and a systematic reset of civil society institutions.
We need wider and deeper involvement of NGOs and activists in the preparation and implementation of reforms. To achieve this, it is first and foremost necessary to ensure open discussions of all national projects and strategic documents.
In this matter, any kind of imitation, the creation of the appearance of dialogue is inadmissible.
We need to awaken civic activity in the country and launch a process of conscious and constructive partnership between the state and society.
It is for this reason that we are developing public councils under the central and local executive government bodies, as well as in the quasi-public sector.
I have repeatedly criticised their work, but overall, they have a great institutional potential that needs to be fully realised.
This year, at my initiative, it is planned to drastically renew their structure, as well as their work plans.
The popular proverb says, “A fur coat sewn together won’t be short.”
Our ancestors always discussed and made consequential decisions collectively. The great gatherings in Ulytau, Ordabasy and Kultobe are clear evidence of this.
We must revive this democratic tradition of the Great Steppe, which has laid the foundations of nationwide unity.
Therefore, I propose to create the National Kurultai (Congress) instead of the National Council of Public Trust, which has successfully fulfilled its tasks.
The new institution will continue the work of the National Council at the national level.
The Kurultai should form a unified institutional model for public dialogue. It will strengthen the interaction between the authorities and the people.
The activity of all the acting public councils will be systematised.
The National Kurultai will include representatives from all regions. In addition, it will include several members of Parliament, members of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Civil Alliance, public councils and organisations, distinguished public figures, representatives of business, industry and agriculture, as well as other citizens.
In this way, we will have a body where a wide range of diverse opinions and views will be represented. Members of the Kurultai will meet on a regular basis to discuss important issues and problems.
EIGHTH. Improvement of the administrative-territorial structure of the country.
Changing the system of elections and the procedure for forming the Parliament, it is necessary to take into account the administrative-territorial system.
In the first years of independence, several regions were united in the country. There were political and economic reasons for that.
Today, Kazakhstan is entering a new stage of development. The socio-economic and demographic situation is already quite different; we are facing other problems and tasks.
Our country’s progress depends directly on the prosperity of the regions. I emphasised this issue in the 2019 Address. The principle “strong regions – strong country” remains unchanged.
In this regard, it is very important that the administrative-territorial structure of the country is optimal.
Earlier, Shymkent was given the status of a city of national significance, and the South Kazakhstan region was renamed Turkistan, with the city of Turkistan as its administrative centre. These were the right decisions, supported by the people.
In my article “Independence above All” I wrote that this experience would continue, after which many proposals began to come from citizens.
On my instructions. all of them have been thoroughly studied. Taking into consideration the suggestions received, I would like to propose a number of new initiatives.
First and foremost, I propose to form the Abai region with the city of Semey as its centre.
I know the people of the region have been raising this issue for a long time. There are a lot of unsolved problems there now, for example, outdated infrastructure. The condition of Semey, once the centre of the Alash movement, is not good either.
We must restore historical justice and revive this sacred land which gave our nation many great sons of our people.
The Ulytau region must be formed on the territory of the former Zhezkazgan region. The city of Zhezkazgan will once again become the regional centre.
The creation of a separate region has not only economic, but also spiritual and cultural significance.
The Ulytau region, which is located at the heart of Kazakhstan’s great spaces, holds a special place in our history. It has been the site of great gatherings which have taken momentous decisions for the people.
Located in the heart of Saryarka, Ulytau has enormous tourism potential. Its production and logistics capabilities need to be fully realised. Essentially, we are opening the way for the development of the Ulytau region.
There are also many questions regarding the Almaty agglomeration.
Residents of the region mainly live in the suburbs of Almaty. At the same time, it is not easy to solve problems of Uzynagash or Talgar, for example, from Taldykorgan. In addition, people have to travel long distances to get to the centre of the region.
Given these and other circumstances, I propose to divide this region into Zhetysu and Almaty regions. The centre of the Almaty region will be Kapshagai, and the centre of the Zhetysu region will be Taldykorgan.
I believe that these steps will give a strong impetus to the development of the region.
Overall, the issue of the formation of new regions concerns many people. It is no secret that in due course the regions that lost their regional status saw their population decrease and their quality of life deteriorate. The time has come to remedy the situation.
Administrative-territorial changes will optimise public administration, simplify commuting to and from the regional centre, and better regulate internal migration.
The proposed names of the new regions – Abai, Ulytau, and Zhetysu – have a special meaning.
We will continue to strengthen our national identity by returning the original geographical names and reviving the memory of our great figures.
For instance, Kapshagai town is closely connected with Dinmukhamed Kunayev, an outstanding personality in the history of our people. And if the public proposes naming the town after him, I will support such a position.
I am saying all this on the basis of suggestions and opinions of citizens. If local residents support these initiatives, they should already be put into place in the near future.
I instruct the Government to carefully study the issues of administrative-territorial structure and propose ways to implement these initiatives. This is not a simple matter; we must think through all the details.
The above-mentioned proposals also provide an opportunity to take measures to optimise civil servants in the offices of governors of regions and major cities in terms of their reduction depending on the population size in the regions.
In any case, governors should not have more than three deputies, in exceptional cases – four.
This Administration of the President must keep this issue under control.
NINTH. Decentralisation of local self-government
Successful political modernisation and the development of civil society are impossible without further deepening the process of decentralising power. We will continue to transfer real powers from the centre to the regions.
Above all, it is necessary to effectively separate the functions of the state and local self-government institutions.
It should be understood that a strong system of local self-government is the foundation for the direct participation of citizens in improving the quality of life in their home locality.
There is no doubt that the people of Kazakhstan have long been ready to take responsibility for their cities, districts and villages. We should not underestimate people and be afraid to hand over to them the powers they are capable of assuming.
As part of political modernisation, maslikhats should become a key link in local governance.
Today they have a hybrid nature, being at the same time an institution of local government and local self-government. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly outline the powers of the maslikhats.
It is necessary to radically revise the system of regional financing.
Currently, rural districts are completely dependent on the higher akims (governors or mayors) and receive support from leftovers.
Taking into account the introduction of the election of mayors, it is worth introducing a mechanism of direct financing of local governments in accordance with international best practices.
There is also a need to significantly expand their ownership base. With substantial resources, they will be able to exert real influence and responsibility. Otherwise, it is just an imitation, not self-government.
All the necessary preparatory work on this issue must be completed by the middle of this year.
Another important step will be to ease the procurement procedures for local governments, eliminating bureaucracy and formalism.
I instruct the Government together with the Administration of the President to work in detail on mechanisms for implementing the above-mentioned instructions and to take them into account when drafting the law “On Local Self-Government”.
In addition, we must consider the issue of ratification of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which is the basic international instrument in this area.
All these measures will promote the emergence of truly credible and responsible local leaders capable of mobilising their communities to effectively address the problems that concern people.
The real strengthening of the system of local self-government will open new opportunities for the development of regions, the reduction of dependency, and the deep rooting of democratic transformations in the country.
TENTH. On priority anti-crisis measures
Kazakhstan has faced unprecedented financial and economic difficulties in our modern history associated with a sharp aggravation of the geopolitical situation.
Tough sanctions confrontation is already leading to serious costs not only for individual countries, but also for the entire global economy.
The situation is changing rapidly, literally every hour. Uncertainty and turbulence in world markets are growing, production and trade chains are collapsing.
But there is still no reason to panic. Our country has all the necessary reserves and tools to overcome a large-scale crisis.
The government is obliged to urgently implement a comprehensive package of priority anti-crisis measures.
First of all, it is necessary to ensure the stability of the national currency. This is a key factor in our economic security.
Recent events in the world have put powerful pressure on the tenge. This is well known to you. Instability in the foreign exchange market is associated with panic, the withdrawal of capital, “gray” cross-border cash flows.
Therefore, in the financial sector, it is necessary to reduce the increased speculative demand that has arisen, among other things, due to the activity of outside buyers.
The day before yesterday, I signed a special Decree that imposes restrictions on the export of foreign currency.
Large institutional players should purchase foreign currency only as part of the fulfilment of their contractual obligations, ensuring its supply.
The issue of increasing sales of export foreign exchange earnings by companies with state participation should be worked out. I expect private subsoil users will also ensure the sale of their foreign exchange earnings.
As part of the fulfilment of their contractual obligations, second-tier banks must control and monitor the purchase of foreign currency by their clients.
It is necessary to establish a strict control over the observance of this requirement by banks.
Speculation in the markets should in no case cause an unjustified “burning” of our reserves.
The Government, the National Bank, the Agency for the Development and Regulation of the Financial Market need to take decisive measures in this direction. In general, extraordinary solutions are needed.
In the current extremely unstable international situation, ensuring the food security of the country is of great importance.
Events in Ukraine have led to a sharp jump in food prices. It is likely that they will soon break all absolute records.
Against this background, the quality of the sowing campaign comes to the fore. However, many farmers, as far as I know, are not yet ready to plant.
The government and akimats need to take this work under special control. It is necessary to provide farmers with the necessary volume of fuel and lubricants at affordable prices.
You should double-check the readiness of agricultural machinery, stocks of seeds and fertilisers.
We must not forget that low rainfall in several regions can negatively affect crop yields and lead to a shortage of fodder.
In general, it is necessary, together with the farming community, to reconsider approaches to state support for the agro-industrial complex.
In order to prevent shortages and an uncontrolled rise in food prices, it is necessary to work out the issue of purchasing agricultural products for state stabilisation funds at forward prices.
In a rapidly changing environment, the state apparatus must quickly respond to the situation, act extremely harmoniously.
Slow decision-making style, bureaucratic formalism is unacceptable here.
Now we need to fully mobilise. Decisions must be made quickly, based on the real needs of business and citizens, within a maximum of three days, and preferably within a day.
The Operational Headquarters created under the Government should simultaneously work as a Situation Centre, which analyses information in real time, as well as develops specific emergency measures.
At the system level, it is necessary to eradicate excessive bureaucratisation, which seriously hinders the development of the country. Its scale is so great that many state structures see it as the essence of their existence.
In the near future, I will sign a decree on the de-bureaucratisation of the activities of the state apparatus. It will become the starting point for a radical review of internal procedures in state bodies, optimisation of rule-making and budgetary processes.
In addition, it is necessary to urgently start developing a new package of structural reforms in the economy and public administration, taking into account the strategy of political modernization.
The foundation of the New Kazakhstan should be based on a harmonious combination of political and economic reforms.
This will ensure the continuous progress of our country and the improvement of the living standards of citizens.
Dear compatriots!
The initiatives I have presented today are ambitious. They will significantly change the political system and the administrative-territorial structure of the country.
To implement them, it will be necessary to amend more than 30 articles of the Constitution. In addition, more than 20 laws will need to be adopted by the end of the year.
Legislative work is a complex and lengthy process, which must be approached very responsibly.
We must take into account all internal and external challenges.
During the years of independence, we have worthily passed through all the difficulties and achieved great success.
The beginning of the cardinal transformation of the country coincided with the crisis that broke out in the world.
It is obvious that the current international situation has an impact on Kazakhstan.
However, no matter how difficult the times, we will firmly stick to our course.
Having learned the lessons of the past, we are moving towards the future with confidence.
On this path, we, first of all, need unity, common sense and patience, wisdom and endurance.
We must carefully weigh every decision, take every case seriously.
A nation with a high patriotic spirit will achieve all its goals.
Our mission is to build a New Kazakhstan.
What does it mean?
A New Kazakhstan is an image of the future of our sovereign country.
People that do not believe in the future will not be able to build a strong state. There are many examples of this from history.
We are firm in our intentions and confident in the bright future of Kazakhstan.
We will ensure that the constitutional rights of every citizen are respected.
We will form a new political culture based on mutual respect and trust between the state and society.
Important decisions will be made openly, with the participation of citizens, because the state will listen to the voice of everyone.
We will always highly appreciate conscientious work, progressive knowledge and advanced experience.
I want to see a New Kazakhstan as such a country.
To achieve our goals, the renewal of the state apparatus or personnel changes are not enough. Everyone must start the change with themselves. We need to reset the system of individual and social values.
This is a difficult process that takes years. Awareness of high responsibility, trust and attention to each other, love for our country will help us in this matter.
We need to understand that no one from outside will do anything for us. Everything is in our hands.
Let’s build the New Kazakhstan together.
I am sure, relying on the support of the people, in unity and harmony we will achieve our goals.
* * *
Today, a devastating geopolitical storm has broke out on the planet.
Therefore, we need to firmly adhere to the strategic course aimed at protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, ensuring the fundamental interests of our people. This is the most important task.
We must preserve our main asset – Independence, strengthen the foundations of national identity, focus on the transformation of the country. This is our sacred duty to future generations.
Now it is not the time to erect political barricades, organise rallies on every occasion, insist on dubious decisions, put forward peremptory demands, lash out at police officers doing their duty. All this discredits our people in the eyes of the world community. The events of “Tragic January” have already caused serious damage to the reputation of our country – this must be admitted.
Chaotic political reforms can lead to a weakening of the state, with grave consequences for its sovereignty and integrity.
There are many examples of this in ancient and recent world history, when individual countries lost a huge part of their territory, fell into the abyss of chaos and anarchy.
The course towards building a New Kazakhstan is aimed at changing the paradigm of the country’s development. We think over every step and firmly follow the intended path.
In New Kazakhstan, we must invariably follow the principle of “different views, but one nation.”
A high culture of dialogue and compromise will become one of the main factors in strengthening civil solidarity in our country.
We will resolutely oppose ignorance and archaism, radicalism and dependency, the cult of consumption and corruption.
We need to overcome mutual alienation and restore faith in society in the reality of change.
We will bet on the energy, talent and diligence of people.
We will create the most favourable conditions for the self-realisation of each citizen.
Only in this way can we multiply the creative potential of our people.
Only in this way will we create our own era of reformation, creating a new reality in all spheres of life.
I am sure that together we will overcome any challenges and make our Kazakhstan even stronger.
* * *
I want our citizens to have a happy life not tomorrow, but today.
For us – our independence is above all.
In this very unstable world, no one needs our Kazakhstan but us.
There is nothing more important for me than the well-being of the country. First and foremost, I am concerned about what the future of our people will be like.
Regardless of how different people evaluate my work, my most important duty is to protect our statehood.
And I am ready to take on this full responsibility.
My sacred duty is to be faithful to the precepts of my ancestors.
New Kazakhstan is a testament of the present generation to the future.
Let’s build the New Kazakhstan together!
May our sacred Motherland prosper!