November 17, 2022

President of Kazakhstan has publicly signed a number of laws

Akorda’s press service reports, the Head of State took part in the public signing ceremony of several important laws adopted following the results of the national referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution held in June 2022.

According to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the results of the referendum will lead to the formation of a new model of interaction between the branches of government, enable citizens to participate in governance, and strengthen guarantees for the protection of human rights and freedoms.

“The constitutional reform marked the beginning of a new era in the history of Kazakhstan. It allowed us to consolidate the political transformations of the last three years and lay a solid foundation for the further strengthening of our statehood. From now on, the principles of justice, transparency and solidarity will be strictly observed. The referendum has convincingly shown that we can withstand unprecedented external and internal challenges. We have started the practical implementation of the constitutional reform,” the Head of State noted.

In his view, the legislative initiatives adopted by parliament have a clearly expressed humanistic and human rights orientation. In particular, according to the amendments, the Constitutional Court will start operating from January 1, 2023. This means every citizen will be able to directly defend their constitutional rights and freedoms in this body. In addition, the status, powers, and guarantees of independence of the Commissioner for Human Rights are being consolidated for the first time at the level of the constitutional law. The human rights function of the Prosecutor General has been strengthened. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed that the further comprehensive development of this sphere will always be a priority of the state.

In his speech, he noted that the main wealth of our country is people and their well-being. In this regard, the new provisions recently included in the Constitution are of particular importance.

“Our Constitution proclaims that the land and its subsoil, waters, flora and fauna, and other natural resources belong to the people. Thanks to the adoption of this norm, a large–scale program “National Fund for Children” will be launched. The true greatness of the nation lies in the well-being of every family and citizen, which is why the national economy should work for the benefit of the people,” the President said.

The Head of State stressed that the idea of justice should become the basis of Kazakhstan’s state policy.

“The basis of social justice is laws adequate to the requirements of the time and systematic anti-corruption, hard work of citizens and the desire of young people to acquire advanced knowledge. The state is obliged to create all the necessary conditions for the implementation of this concept,” Kassym–Jomart Tokayev said.

He said that the laws adopted by the parliament regulate the transition of Kazakhstan to a mixed electoral system. Now, some deputies of the Mazhilis and regional maslikhats, and all deputies of district maslikhats will be elected in single-mandate districts. As such, representative bodies will become truly popular.

In addition, the election of akims of districts and cities of regional significance is being introduced. The Head of State believes that this was a logical continuation of the previously introduced elections of rural akims and testifies to Kazakhstan’s firm desire to democratize the public administration system.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed that the constitutional reform will strengthen the foundations of the country’s state structure, open the way to the development of civil society, strengthen mutual understanding and national dialogue. Ultimately, these steps will contribute to improving the welfare of the people and the bright future of the country.

In conclusion, the President expressed gratitude to the deputies who promptly and efficiently adopted such important laws, to the members of the National Council of Public Trust, as well as to all the citizens who contributed to the implementation of constitutional reform.

During the ceremony, the Head of State signed six laws:

1. Constitutional Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan”;

2. Constitutional Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan”;

3. Constitutional Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Prosecutor’s Office”;

4. Constitutional Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On amendments and additions to some constitutional laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the implementation of the Address of the Head of State dated March 16, 2022”;

5. The Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Amendments and Additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the implementation of the Address of the Head of State dated March 16, 2022”;

6. The Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Amendments and Additions to the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Administrative Violations”.