Tokayev – We will firmly suppress any provocations

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan will take firm action against any provocations aimed at undermining interethnic harmony and peace, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during the 34th session of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK).

“It is important to be able to distinguish between constructive criticism and baseless attacks, between harmless parody and offensive insults. Everyone is equal before the law. That is why we have stopped and will continue to firmly suppress any provocations and insinuations aimed at undermining interethnic harmony and peace in our country, no matter who they come from. We must admit that some so-called human rights organizations, bloggers, and journalists — while claiming to champion freedom of speech — attempt to portray everything in Kazakhstan through a lens of negativity, essentially staging provocations. This also applies to former citizens of Kazakhstan who have left the country and are now launching sponsored attacks against our people from abroad, even trying to blackmail our state institutions,” Tokayev said.

He emphasized that it is no secret that many of these individuals are simply fulfilling the terms of foreign funding.

“Democracy, so to speak, paid for with foreign money. We must clearly understand that abroad, few genuinely care about our country’s well-being, including the development of democracy,” the President added.

Recent revelations about the activities of foreign non-governmental organizations, he said, have exposed “their cynicism, greed, and indifference to Kazakhstan — as well as the dark side of certain well-known Kazakhstani grant recipients.”

“We are not claiming that Kazakhstan has no problems. Of course we do, like any other country. But we will solve them not based on someone else’s playbook, but according to our own legislation and national interests. I am confident that our citizens and well-meaning international partners understand this logic well. Ideological strife is completely alien to our worldview. Our nation is united and bound together as a single historical, cultural, and political community by long-standing traditions and values, by our mentality and way of life,” Tokayev concluded.

Earlier, on March 20, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev convened the 34th session of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the APK.

What is the APK?

The Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan is a consultative and advisory body that unites representatives of all ethnic groups living in the republic. The 33rd session, titled “Unity. Creation. Progress,” was held in Astana on April 24–25, 2024.

The APK is a key public platform that brings together people of different nationalities, cultures, and traditions around shared Kazakhstani values, said Deputy Chairman of the APK Dmitry Ostankovich earlier.

According to him, the assembly’s role goes beyond preserving cultural heritage — it fosters an atmosphere of mutual respect, civic responsibility, and unity.

This year’s session, he added, will be a starting point for rethinking the APK’s mission, summarizing over 30 years of its work and outlining new directions for development.

The President of Kazakhstan serves as the Chair of the APK.

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