09 July 2015 | 00:42

Transfer of powers from President to Parliament and Government takes time: Nazarbayev

Tengrinews file photo

Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev has reminded that redistribution of power from the President to the Parliament and the Government takes time, Tengrinews reports.

“This is not something that can be done in a split second. I know what everyone is saying that we have a strong presidential 'vertical of power'. But out strong 'vertical of power' does not pressure the people. It works to ensure that the state apparatus serves the people, that our programs are implemented, that the reforms move forward and that the discipline prevails both top down and bottom up. It has served this purpose all these years,” Nazarbayev said at the presentation of a new documentary With Nazarbayev About What Matters Most broadcasted on July 2 by Khabar and KTK TV channels.

“Does anyone in Kazakhstan want what happened in Ukraine or in Georgia or in Moldova to happen here? Is there anyone (who wants to see that in Kazakhstan)? Here is the point, all these countries are parliamentary republics. I have been constantly saying that we will eventually come to the American (governance) approach, but it takes time,” Nazarbayev said.

“We have already been doing that. Starting from last year all akims (local executives) of auls (villages), districts and cities are elected (not appointed), which accounts for 91 percent of the executive power. 67 mandates of the central government have been transferred to them. Third, rural areas have their own budgets at their disposal, so that they are able to handle all local issues on their own,” Nazarbayev said.

“We transferred functions of the central government to the bottom. Ministries supervise all the issues. (…) It allowed us to reduce the number of ministries from 18 to 12, this is what I was talking about. When we bring it to its logical end, the top will be unloaded. (…) When everything is set in a proper way, then everything will be possible. We will gradually vest powers to the Parliament, but we already have a semi-presidential republic, because a representative of the winning party becomes Prime Minister. Parties should compete, convince the people with the programs, win the seats and promote their people. We have come to this,” the Kazakh leader said.

Writing by Assel Satubaldina, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina

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