The March 19 elections to the Majilis (lower house) of parliament and maslikhats (local representative bodies) in Kazakhstan were a worthy continuation of large-scale changes, a new milestone in the political development of the country has begun. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who took part in the Nauryz holiday event, said this on Tuesday.
"The day before the elections to the Majilis and maslikhats took place, which is a serious step in the advancement of all our reforms. These elections were a worthy continuation of large-scale changes. In other words, a new milestone in the political development of the country has begun. It is symbolic that this historic moment coincided with the celebration of Nauryz," the head of state was quoted as saying by his press service.
According to Tokayev, the completely renewed political system will give a powerful impetus to Kazakhstan's development. "The reforms being implemented open the way to economic growth and higher incomes of the population. The reforms will certainly continue. We will become a comprehensively developed and strong state. This is our main goal," said the leader of the country.
He also stressed that there is much work to be done. "Despite the differences in the views of our citizens, we all have common aspirations - it is the welfare of the people and a bright future for the state. We make every effort to achieve these common goals. If we maintain our unity and work together, we can overcome any obstacle. I believe in a bright future for our talented people. The interests of the state are paramount. If we maintain harmony and unity in society, we will achieve our key goal: to build a fair Kazakhstan. We need to unite and show solidarity on the way to achieving our common goal," the president added.
Six political parties (69 seats) will be represented in the lower chamber of parliament, according to preliminary results. That's three more than in the previous convocation. Also, lawmakers elected from single-member districts will pick 29 seats, or 30% of the Majilis. The Central Election Commission has not yet reported on the mandates received by the political forces, but the largest party in Kazakhstan, Amanat (The covenant of ancestors), which won 53.9% of the votes in the elections, is expected to have more than 60 of the 98 seats in the new convocation.
Nauryz Meyramy is a three-day public holiday in Kazakhstan, March 21-23. It falls on the day of the vernal equinox and represents nature's revival, renewal and blossoming.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS