Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gives interview to Russia 24 TV Channel

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave an interview to ‘Russia 24’ news channel on the eve of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. He mentioned the January events, political reforms and a ‘New Kazakhstan’. At the beginning of the conversation, he summed up the preliminary results of three years of his term as a Head of State, claiming that the most important thing for him was the support of the Kazakh people. The essential follow-up of political reforms in the country was the referendum. As such, citizens supported the transition from a super-presidential form to a presidential system with an influential parliament.

“The thing is that civil society in Kazakhstan is mature. The demand for this particular system is quite high. Speaking of the transition to a parliamentary system, which some activists and observers in the West call for, I certainly did not pledge it. I consider it, so to speak, inadequate for our country, and even more so in the very complicated geopolitical conditions. There will be a presidential state, but with a strong Parliament and an accountable government,” said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan.

Translation by Saniya Sakenova

Editing by Galiya Khassenkhanova