Interview with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
"The terrorists sought to exacerbate the situation in order to undermine the stability in the country and intimidate our people." Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in his new interview, spoke about the causes and consequences of the tragic January events. The head of state noted that it is too early to make conclusions. A thorough analysis and assessment of the events is required - nothing will be hidden from the people. He once again stressed that he did not regret the decision to appeal to the CSTO for assistance.
“I don't regret my decision. This is not something to regret about. On the contrary, I think it was the right decision. Armed gangs almost destroyed Almaty and were a real threat to other cities. Without a peacekeeping contingent, the terrorists would have invaded there too. There were armed clashes in Taldykorgan, Taraz, Shymkent and Kyzylorda. Their preparation was also fixed in the capital. They were ready to attack Akorda. Some experts say that the terrorists' plans were to capture the two main cities of Kazakhstan. Their plan is similar to the scenario in Syria, where terrorists captured the two cities of Damascus and Raqqa. The CSTO troops did not fire a single shot on the territory of our country. They protected only the main strategic objects,” said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan.
The Head of State noted that in order to form a New Kazakhstan, civil servants are facing increasing requirements.
“Not every person can immediately become a minister or a mayor. It is clear that it requires time and experience. Educated, qualified, conscientious citizens should be appointed to such positions. At the same time, it would be wrong to simply fire all the former specialists. We don't need a ‘political purge’. New people are gradually entering the sphere of public administration. This is a natural process and it is already underway. But you should always remember that the public service is not a platform for experiments. Therefore, this work will be carried out gradually,” added President Tokayev.
Translation by Aruzhan Bizhigitova
Editing by Saule Mukhamejanova
