A solemn meeting dedicated to the Constitution Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held in Almaty

The governor of Almaty Bauyrzhan Baibek noted that the Constitution strengthened the foundations of statehood, created the necessary conditions for the development of a market economy, the emergence of a "middle class", but most importantly, the Constitution ensured stability in our multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state.

"Thanks to the wise policy of our President, for all the years of independence our country has been following the path of unity and consistent formation of the nation on the basis of civil identity. As you know, in the implementation of the Five Institutional Reforms of Elbasy, after extensive discussions with the public this year, large-scale changes to the Constitution were adopted. This will allow further systemic measures to be taken to ensure the rule of law, the formation of a citizen-oriented state apparatus, effective control and the active participation of civil society in making important government decisions. The constitutional reform strengthened the control of the legislative branch of power over the executive, increased the responsibility of the executive bodies, the role of political parties. The ultimate goal of the reforms is a radical improvement in the lives of ordinary Kazakhstanis," B. Baibek said.

According to the Almaty’s governor , the key condition for political and economic modernization, further realization of the potential of the Constitution is a change in thinking. In his programmatic article "Bolashak Baidar: Rukhani Zhakyru", Elbasy says that "The large-scale transformations that we started should be accompanied by a faster modernization of public consciousness. It will not only complement political and economic modernization - it will act as their core."

In his speech Bauyrzhan Baibek noted that in a short period of time Almaty turned into a powerful financial center, rapid development was given to business, a huge number of jobs was created, and the quality of life of the citizens improved. This undoubtedly contributed to the decision of the Head of State to move the capital to Astana 20 years ago. As international experience shows, the combination of a strong political center and a liberal city contributed to the sustainable development of many successful states. For example, Washington and New York, Ankara and Istanbul, Berlin and Munich.

"Being a financial and economic magnet, Almaty harmoniously complements the political center of our country - Astana. As he said in the postponement of the capital Elbasy, "Almaty was, is and will be the largest financial, economic, scientific and socio-cultural center of the state and will never lose its appeal." And today we clearly see the far-sightedness of Elbasy's decision. So, on a national scale, Almaty provides a fifth of the country's economy, a third of tax and non-tax revenues, over 40% of all trade operations, providing about 15% of the employed population with work," said B. Baibek

According to the governor of Almaty, during the years of independence the city's territory has grown 2 times. Taking into account the agglomeration, the population reached almost 3 million people. The economy of the megapolis has grown more than 100 times, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises - 130 times. The housing stock has doubled, reaching 43 million square meters. The number of cars has grown 10 times. Therefore, over the past decade alone, 30 interchanges have been built. Over 500 billion tenge was invested in transport infrastructure. 5 years ago, the Almaty underground was launched, the passenger traffic of which every year increases by an average of 20%.

In his speech Almaty’s governor also noted that only as a result of the implementation of state programs more than 20 thousand jobs were created in the city.

"As part of the state programs adopted on behalf of Elbasy, we are building new housing in the city, improving infrastructure and communications, creating new jobs. Thus, under the program "Nurly Jer" for the construction of 124 houses was allocated 73 billion tenge. This year it is planned to complete the construction of 85 houses. At the same time, 40% of houses are in the attached Alatau district. 5 thousand jobs were created. In general, the amount of affordable housing in the city will increase by 6.5 times. This year, the housing has already received 3,000, and by the end of the year - 3,2 thousand more families," the mayor of the city said.

He also added that under the program "Nurly Jol" 106 km of engineering networks, 2 new buildings to schools, 28 houses of affordable housing with the creation of 2,4 thousand jobs are being built. In the framework of industrial-innovative development, 33 projects were introduced for 36 billion tenge. By the end of the year, another 22 projects will be introduced for 59 billion tenge with the creation of 5 thousand jobs. According to the Road Map of Business, 687 projects are being implemented with the creation of more than 4 thousand jobs.

In its turn, the city of Almaty, through accumulation of funds as a result of savings and optimization of budget expenditures of the past year, adopted its own set of anti-crisis measures.

So, for the support of small and medium-sized businesses, city programs "Zhibek Zholy", "Almaty-Onim, Tourism, Innovation" for more than 12 billion tenge are implemented. Already paid out 1.2 billion tenge of taxes. Large foreign investors are involved in the city, including 7 transnational companies. Private construction is actively stimulated. So, for two years town-building committee approved 82 projects for more than 1 trillion. Tenge. Already introduced 3, implemented 23 projects at 120 billion tenge with the creation of 6,5 thousand jobs.

The governor of Almaty Bauyrzhan Baibek also stressed that today the city budget is formed taking into account the targets of the Almaty Development Program until 2020. The main principle is the focus on the result. So, due to optimization of inefficient and expensive projects, the funds are directed to projects with the greatest potential for employment. This year against the background of a 25% reduction in the investments of the republican budget, the local development budget has increased almost 1.5 times to KZT100 bn.

"All five principles of the Almaty 2020 program, which are guided by the akimat in their daily work, are based on the main values of our Constitution - a person, his life, security, rights and freedoms. Key to us are such constitutional postulates as accountability, transparency, broad public dialogue. As you know, this year we started a large-scale work on the transformation of the city, the formation of an open, favorable and comfortable urban environment. So, for improvement was allocated 2.3 times, for roads - 1.3 times, for engineering networks - 1.3 times more funds than a year earlier. For example, if last year 290 yard areas were repaired for 2 billion, then in this already 472 yard areas for 7.6 billion tenge. A large-scale modernization of the housing stock is being carried out. KZT 2.9 billion was allocated to repair 254 houses," B. Baibek said.

In addition, the city is capital construction and modernization of 8 streets - Zhibek Zholy, Panfilov, Gogol, Khabanbai batyr, "Astana" Square, Bayseitova, Tulebayev, embankment of the Esentai River. This year there is a seismic reinforcement of 28 educational objects to the amount of 23 billion tenge. In parallel, work is underway to pump water from mudflowable moraine lakes, clean evacuation canals from large-sized stones. This is invisible to the general public, but extremely important and time-consuming work of the city emergency service, which allows citizens to feel safe. A question is being worked out with the Government on the construction of two dams in the gorges of Aksai and Ayusay.