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Theses and quotes: Касым-Жомарт Токаев
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Theme: A. State building and political reforms
Document: THEDIPLOMAT.COM: Tokayev Outlines ‘New Kazakhstan’ in State of the Natio...
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Source: Qaz.Vision thesis topic annotations Open theses
In his March 16 “message” to the people of Kazakhstan , Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reiterated the government’s narrative regarding “bloody January” and proposed a wide array of political reforms.
Tokayev repeated comments about “radicals” and “terrorists,” the involvement of unnamed foreign forces, while also making comments about how “modernization” efforts in recent years had dismayed unnamed influential individuals.
Armed bandits, traitors, and “professional mercenaries” — enemies both internal and external — united to try and seize power, according to Tokayev.
The president said the “terrorists” fired on civilians in order to cast blame on the government (echoing comments made at a Mazhilis session updating the government on the investigation into the January events, in which Prosecutor General Berik Asylov claimed civilians were used as “human shields”).
While blaming “traitors” among military and security leaders, Tokayev urged people not to let that “tarnish” the reputation of law enforcement.
Tokayev’s speech, while stressing foreign involvement, provided no new evidence to support that claim.
Importantly, in his speech Tokayev did acknowledge allegations of torture and in the previous Mazhilis briefing authorities said they were investigating more than 200 such reports.
Throughout the speech, Tokayev hammered on the importance of unity for Kazakhstan. With the unfolding war in Ukraine, this theme strikes a critical chord.
The next section of the speech made the case for further political reforms, identifying “domestic stagnation” as a cause of the January events.
Among the reforms, Tokayev highlighted efforts to shift Kazakhstan away from a “super-presidential” system.
To do so, he proposed among other things, banning close relatives of the president from positions as “political civil servants” or “executive positions in the quasi-public sector.
Tokayev also spoke of abolishing some of the “excessive” presidential powers, such as the ability of the executive to dismiss akims.
On a related note, hopes for direct election of regional and major city akims continue to be deferred, with Tokayev’s new proposal entailing indirect election of regional akims.
Tokayev’s new proposal would see regional akims selected by the president from at least two candidates proposed by local legislatures, maslikhats.
Tokayev also proposed that presidents resign from party membership while in office.
In his speech, Tokayev complained about “provocative activists” who considered it “possible and even necessary” to violate the reformed protest law.
He said there would be no more “concessions” on this point.
Tokayev pledged to build a “New Kazakhstan” and in closing out his speech stressed that amid the “geopolitical storm” Kazakhstan’s strategic course, aimed at protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, was the most important task.
According to Tokayev, “chaotic political reforms” would only lead to a weakening of the state.