Senators' working visit to Norway

Members of the Committee on International Relations, Defense and Security of the Senate of the RoK Parliament, headed by Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed, paid a working visit to the Kingdom of Norway, organized by the OSCE Program Office in Nur-Sultan.

Meetings were held with Vice President of Storting (Parliament) Kari Henriksen, Chairperson of International Affairs and Defense Committee Ine Søreide, Head of Norwegian delegation to OSCE PA Siv Mossleth.

The deputies from Kazakhstan delegation - Nurzhan Nursipatov, Kairat Kozhamzharov, Dana Nurzhigitova, and also RK Ambassador in Norway Erkin Akhinzhanov, on the threshold of Republican Referendum, told their colleagues about the large-scale program of political modernization and constitutional reform of the country that was launched by the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and whose main goal is building of the Second Republic.

Kari Henriksen expressed her interest in the ongoing political reforms and at her request Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed gave details of its main provisions such as transition from super-presidential to presidential republic with strong Parliament, protection of human and civil rights, establishment of constitutional court, strengthening the status of ombudsman as well as introduction of limitations for the Head of State and regional akims to join political parties, simplification of registration procedure for new parties.

"The President of the country Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set the goal of building a "New Kazakhstan". This means a more sustainable, diversified and equitable economy, providing opportunities for private initiative of all citizens, a more just society, as well as a vibrant, dynamic and competitive political system", - said M. Kul-Muhammed.

In the course of the discussion there was a mutual view of the need to implement a balanced and calibrated foreign policy in the current geopolitical environment.

Ine Søreide, formerly the head of the Norwegian Defence and Foreign Policy Departments, shared her normative experience in the security sector and the implementation of parliamentary control in this sector. The role of the Storting is not only to adopt laws and the national budget, but also to exercise oversight by listening to the Cabinet of Ministers or expressing a vote of no confidence in it, thus achieving an effective system of checks and balances.

The head of the Kazakhstani delegation informed his interlocutors about the political and economic transformations taking place in the country. It was proposed to consider the idea of launching a dialogue format between the parliaments of Central Asia countries and the Northern Council. In modern realities the Trans-Caspian transit route acquires particular importance.

Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed noted the joint efforts to preserve the memory of Kazakhs who died in Norway during World War II, including the participants in the Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive in 1944.

The role and status of the ombudsman in the human rights system was discussed in meetings with Gustav Haver, Head of the Parliamentary Ombud for Scrutiny of the Public Administration, and Per Kristensen, Director of the Center for Integrity in Defense. The senators noted the most important areas of proposed constitutional changes in the area of human rights protection, in particular the enshrinement of the constitutional status of the Ombudsman and his right to appeal to the Constitutional Court.

In conclusion the parliamentarians emphasized the importance of gradual development of the constitutional model of the country, and the wish of establishing closer ties between our states and the soonest opening of the Norwegian Embassy in Kazakhstan was also voiced.

(Senate Press Service, 74-72-27)