Nazarbayev comments on upcoming elections

Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev has commented on his participatuion in the upcoming presidential elections, Tengrinews reports.

When asked about the course of the election campaign, which has been going on since March 26, Nazarbayev refrained from making any comments. “I am a presidential candidate and I cannot assess it. You will later attack me, saying that I was evaluating and persuading this way,” Nazarbayev told the journalists at the sidelines of the Kazakh-Turkish Business Forum in Astana on April 16.

Nazarbayev agreed to share his attitude towards the elections, however. “You are aware of the initial reasons behind the (decision to hold) early presidential elections. There were many requests from people, letters with thousands of signatures, and therefore, I had to agree with the people’s opinion. And I believe that by virtue of the elections people will express their opinion, give (vote) to someone whom they appreciate and believe in, and (will give) the mandate to further develop Kazakhstan for the people to live better and better, " Nursultan Nazarbayev said.

The presidential elections are scheduled for April 26. Three candidates will run in the upcoming early presidential elections in Kazakhstan: the incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the challenger from the Communist People’s Party Turgun Syzdykov and self-nominee Abelgazi Kusainov. 

The election campaigning will end at 00:00 on 25 April.

Reporting by Assel Satayeva, writing by Assel Satubaldina