Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with participants of the International Forum on Constitutional Justice “Peace and the Future Through Law”
Теlegram CС - https://t.me/consot_kz
The meeting was attended by Claire Bazille Malory, President of the Venice Commission; Mohammed Hamad Mohammed al-Badi al-Zahri, President of the Federal Supreme Court of the UAE; Luc Malaba, President of the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa; and Bayasgalan Gunga, President of the Constitutional Court of Mongolia.
The Head of State expressed his gratitude to the guests for visiting our country.
"We value the exceptional role of the Venice Commission and its exemplary legal practice, along with the advanced constitutional policies of other states, as important benchmarks that determine the development of democratic institutions and provide sustainable guarantees of human rights. Marking the 30th anniversary of the adoption of our Constitution, we once again emphasize its fundamental role in ensuring social harmony, stability, and dynamic development in the face of global challenges," the President said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev informed the participants about the large-scale political, economic, and constitutional reforms in Kazakhstan. As the President emphasized, the amendments to the Basic Law strengthened the role of the representative branch of government and human rights institutions, while increasing the accountability of the executive branch. The reconstituted Constitutional Court has significantly expanded access to justice.
According to the Head of State, the principle of “law and order” is being implemented in our country. Along with tougher penalties and liability for offences, the level of legal culture is steadily improving.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also told the meeting participants about the content of his Address to the People of Kazakhstan.
"It reflects our commitment to modernization, innovation, sustainable development, strengthening Kazakhstan's position in the global arena, and promoting new opportunities for international cooperation. It is very important to me that these priorities are clearly understood by our foreign partners. The key goal is to transform Kazakhstan into a technologically advanced nation. Therefore, the widespread use of artificial intelligence and total digitalization have become a new national idea," he said.
Separately, the Head of State commented on his proposed reform of the parliamentary system.
"I will be extremely frank: the essence of the reform is to further strengthen the institutional base of our political system. The question of establishing a parliamentary republic is not on the agenda. Our defining model of ‘Strong President – Influential Parliament – Accountable Government’ remains in place. The proposal to hold a national referendum once again demonstrates the consistency of this principle. We must only make consolidated decisions on issues concerning the future of the country. That is why I always announce upcoming political plans in advance. This applied to the reforms of previous years and the referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant," the President emphasized.
In turn, Claire Bazille Malory, President of the Venice Commission, noted that Kazakhstan, as an important partner of the Council of Europe, actively participates in various conventions and carries out effective institutional reforms to strengthen the rule of law.
The President of the Federal Supreme Court of the UAE, Mohammed Hamad Mohammed al-Badi al-Zahri, spoke highly of the strategic cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Emirates.
The President of the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdiction Authorities of Africa, Luc Malaba, emphasized that he is observing the socio-political transformations in Kazakhstan with interest.
The President of the Constitutional Court of Mongolia, Bayasgalan Gunga, said that last year's visit by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Mongolia gave a significant impetus to comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
In conclusion, the Head of State noted that Kazakhstan looks forward to continued cooperation between constitutional oversight bodies and wished the upcoming forum every success.