16 March 2016, 14:00 Almost 14 thousand election related materials published during one month in Kazakhstan

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1 21 March 2016, 00:31 Nur Otan Party wins 82% of vote in parliamentary election, Exit poll ASTANA. KAZINFORM - According to exit poll, Nur Otan Party has won 82% of vote in parliamentary election, reported Yulia Kuchinskaya - director of the Institute for Democracy during a briefing in Central Communications Service. According to the results: Nur Otan won 82% of vote, the Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan %, Ak Zhol %, Birlik %, All-National Social- Democratic Party - 1, 21%, Auyl %. The survey covered 14 regions and cities of Astana and Almaty. Exit poll was conducted from 7 am to 8 pm at 750 polling stations 513 of which in urban and 237 in rural areas. Total of voters were interviewed polling stations including 65 abroad have been involved in the elections. The polling stations in Washington, New York and Ottawa will be closed March 21 at 6 am Astana time. 20 March 2016, 21:38 Parliamentary Elections 2016: Voting ends ASTANA. KAZINFORM Voting in the election of deputies to the Majilis of the Kazakh Parliament and territorial maslikhats came to an end, Kazinform reports % of all registered voters cast their votes by 18:00 Astana time. This a record-breaking indicator compared to the previous parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan, member of the Central Election Commission M. Sarsembayev told a briefing today.

2 Kazakhstanis voted from 7:00 a.m. till 08:00 p.m., in western regions voting ended an hour later (09:00 Astana time) for time difference. 9,840 voting stations including 65 abroad were opened today. Some of them are still working. The voting stations in Washington, New York and Ottawa will be closed March 21 at 6:00 Astama time. Election of Majilis deputies from the People s Assembly of Kazakhstan will be held tomorrow, March 21. The Decree on dissolution of the Majilis of the 5th convocation and on setting the early elections was signed by the Head of State on January 20, The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan has registered six lists of political parties which include 234 candidates to the Majilis deputies' seats. Ruling party Nur Otan, Akzhol, Auyl, the Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan, Nationwide Social and Democratic Party and Birlik will compete for the seats in the Majilis. 10,825 candidates have been registered for the maslikhat deputies' seats. 964 internatinal observers will monitor the election process. 13,399 election commissions are involved in organization and holding of the elections. More than 9 mln people are expected to cast their votes. 19 March 2016, 16:32 CEC: Election commissions ready for holding voting ASTANA. KAZINFORM Chairman of the Central election Commission Kuandyk Turgankulov met with a delegation of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation today. Those attending the meeting were member of the Russian CEC S.Shapiyev, member of the Kazakh CEC T.Okhlopkova as well as representatives of the election commissions of the republics and regions of the Russian Federation, employees of the Russian CEC administration. Turgankulov informed the delegation of the activities of the Kazakh CEC on preparation and holding the partliamentary elections and told about the peculiarities of the electoral campaign and the course of preparation for voting day. Election commissions are ready for holding the voting, he said. Mutual cooperation issues were also raised during the meeting.

3 17 March 2016, 12: CIS observers to monitor parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The CIS Election Observers Mission is ready, representative of the CIS Observers Mission Yevgeny Kozyak told at the briefing of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan. According to him, 301 observers representing Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, CIS Parliamentary Assembly, Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State, Parliamentary Assembly of the CSTO and the Executive Committee of the CIS are accredited for monitoring the elections in Kazakhstan. "In terms of the number of observers, it is the largest mission of international observers. The majority of them arrive tomorrow or the day after tomorrow," Y. Kozyak told. He also informed that the meetings between representatives of the mission and the Prosecutor General's Office of Kazakhstan, Supreme Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were held within the election monitoring. 16 March 2016, 14:00 Almost 14 thousand election related materials published during one month in Kazakhstan

4 ASTANA. KAZINFORM election related materials were published in the period from January 20 through February 19, representative of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan Marat Sarsembayev informed. He noted that the monitoring of the materials related to the election campaign published in the mass media was held in order to ensure control over observance of the norms of the election law. The monitoring embraced 48 national newspapers, 15 magazines, 16 national TV channels, 12 radio channels, 174 regional newspapers, 31 regional TV channels and 162 most popular social and political Internet resources. "13898 materials about elections in Kazakhstan were published in the mass media in the period from January 20 through February 19, 2016," M. Sarsembayev told at the briefing in Astana. 14 March 2016, 12:12 CIS Mission didn't detect serious violations of election process in Kazakhstan - Y. Sloboda ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The CIS Observers Mission did not detect any serious violations of the election process in Kazakhstan, head of the headquarters of the CIS Mission Yevgeny Sloboda told at the briefing of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan. "We visited regional and district voting stations and did not detect any serious violations," Y. Sloboda said. "We do have anything to report on. We have detected some minor violations that happen in any country during such processes. For example, at some voting stations we had to ask to separate the voting booths. Those are just technical issues," Y. Sloboda said.

5 09 March 2016, 18:05 Ombudsman and Head of OSCE/ODIHR Mission discussed issues of elections to Majilis of Kazakhstan ASTANA. KAZINFROM - Ombudsman of Kazakhstan Askar Shakirov met with head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission in Kazakhstan Boris Frlec. The sides discussed the issues of holding of the upcoming parliamentary elections on March 20, ensuring of equality of parties, observance of election rights of the people with accordance with the national law and international standards and the mandate of the human rights institution on consideration of corresponding complaints. The Ombudsman familiarized the guests with the work of his institution in the sphere of consideration of the people's addresses regarding ensuring their election rights. "The right to elect and to be elected is one of the key rights for functioning of the civil state. The Human Rights Protection Institution has the right to consider complaints of people in this sphere and in cooperation with interested bodies and election commissions to take the necessary measures. However, there was no complaint about any violations during the presidential elections in 2015," A. Shakirov said. B. Frelc familiarized with the mandate of the Ombudsman in the sphere of ensuring the rights of the people and noted that he was an important institute making the country's functioning system whole.

6 05 March 2016, 11:47 CEC registers People's Assembly candidates running for Majilis seats ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan has registered 9 candidates nominated by the People's Assembly and running for Majilis seats. "9 candidates nominated by the People's Assembly of Kazakhstan were registered by the Central Election Commission on March 2," Secretary of the commission Bakhyt Meldeshov said at a briefing on Saturday. He added that 7 out of 9 candidates are males. Earlier it was reported that the People's Assembly nominated the following candidates: Sautbek Abdrakhmanov, Vladimir Bozhko, Natalya Zhumadildayeva, Roman Kim, Narine Mikaelyan, Akhmed Muradov, Shaimardan Nurumov, Yuri Timoshchenko and Shakir Khakhazov. Recall that Kazakhstan will hold snap parliamentary elections on March March 2016, 13:03 CEC to hold debates among political parties ASTANA. KAZINFORM The Central Election Commission will hold the debates among the political parties participating in the Parliamentary Elections As member of the CEC Lyazzat Suleimen told Kazinform, the time and regulations of the debates will be additionally announced. She added also that the CEC observes the agitation activities of the parties. Equal coverage of their pre-election campaign is ensured in news reports. The agitation campaigns are financed from the parties election fund, noted Suleimen.

7 01 March 2016, 11:59 CEC accredited 20 more observers from intl organizations and seven foreign countries ASTANA. KAZINFORM The Central Election Commission has accredited 20 more observers from two international organizations and seven foreign countries. As per a resolution adopted by the CEC upon the recommendation of the Kazakhstan Foreign Affairs Ministry, 20 more observers from two international organizations and seven foreign countries have been accredited, member of the CEC Tatyana Okhlopkova said today during a sitting of the Central Election Commission. 2 of them are from the CIS Mission; 4 are from the OSCE/ODIHR Misssion; 2 are from the Republic of Armenia, 2 from Azerbaijan; 2- from Georgia; 2 from Latvia; 2 from Malaysia; 2 from the Russian Federation and 2 are from Estonia. Thus, as of March 1, 2016б the CEC has accredited 175 observers from two international organizations missions (OSCE/ODIHR and CIS), one international organization (OIC) and eight foreign countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accredited 112 representatives of foreign mass media from 26 countries as of February 29, The accreditation of observers from foreign countries and international organizations by the CEC will last till March 14, February 2016, 09:02

8 CIS observation mission starts monitoring parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan MINSK. KAZINFORM - The CIS observation mission has started monitoring the snap parliamentary elections to the lower house of Kazakhstan's parliament, BelTA learned from the mission's headquarters. "At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the CIS observation mission started monitoring the snap parliamentary elections to the Majilis," representatives of the mission said. The mission is led by Chairman of the Executive Committee, CIS Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev. His candidacy was approved at a meeting of the CIS Plenipotentiaries Council. In their work, members of the mission will be guided by generally recognized international principles of international law and the law of Kazakhstan without interfering with the election process and respecting the country's sovereignty. It is expected that nearly 300 CIS representatives will take part in the monitoring of the election. The snap parliamentary election in Kazakhstan is scheduled for 20 March 2016, Kazinform has learnt from eng.belta.by. 25 February 2016, 15:53 Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan accredited 103 more international observers ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan accredited 103 more international observers for the monitoring the parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan, it was informed today at the sitting of the Commission in Astana. Upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, 103 observers from three international organizations and one foreign country have been accredited by the Central Election Commission. "Three observers are from the USA, 97 observers from CIS Mission, 33 from the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and seven observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union and three observers are from the OIC," representative of the CEC of Kazakhstan Tatiana Okhlopkova told.

9 Thus, as of today, the Central Election Commission accredited 155 observers from two missions of international organizations (OSCE/ODIHR and CIS) and one international organization (OIC) and one foreign state. Besides, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan has already accredited 105 representatives of foreign mass media from 25 world countries. 23 February 2016, 13:21 Kazakh Senate Speaker receives head of OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Senate Speaker of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev received Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Boris Frlec at his request on Tuesday. At the meeting Mr. Frlec familiarized the Senate Speaker with mandate and day-to-day functioning of the mission that consists of 11 experts and 28 long-term observers. Over 400 short-term observers of the OSCE are expected in Kazakhstan on the threshold of the snap parliamentary election on March 20. Mr. Tokayev stressed that participation of the OSCE observation mission in the upcoming election symbolizes high level of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the organization. According to him, Kazakhstan will undoubtedly hold free and fair election in accordance with its legislation and international standards. The sides also underscored the importance of implementation of five institutional reforms proposed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev for further comprehensive development of Kazakhstan.

10 20 February 2016, 09:55 Political parties started their pre-election agitation ASTANA. KAZINFORM The political parties of Kazakhstan have started their pre-election agitation today, February 20. Yesterday, the country s Central Election Commission announced preliminary results 6 political parties with 234 candidates had been registered for the electionы. 187 of them are men and 47 are women. 187 of the candidates (79.9%) are men and 47 (or 20.1%) are women. 233 candidates hold higher education certificates. Every forth candidate is an engineer and every fifth is an economist or a lawyer. 67 candidates or 28.6% are the employees of non-public organizations or enterprises. 47 candidates or 20.1% are the deputies of the Majilis of the Parliament of the 5th convocation, CEC Chairman Kuandyk Turgankulov explained. He added also that the average age of the registered candidates is 52. The youngest of them is 26. The pre-election agitation will last till 24:00 of 18 March February 2016, 12:23 Elections 2016: CEC called political parties for fair fight ASTANA. KAZINFORM The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan has held a seminar for the representatives of political parties, during which Deputy Chairman of the CEC Vladimir Foos called the participants for a fair fight.

11 Our seminar is a part of our work on ensuring observance of the election legislation during the election campaigns of the Majilis and local maslikhats deputies, said Foos. Observance of the norms of election legislation and fair pre-election struggle without any dirty political tricks are crucial for all the participants, added he. The Vice Chairman of the CEC reminded of the pre-election agitation which is going to start on February 20. All the political parties will be imposed huge responsibility at that time, Foos noted. Heads of pre-election headquarters and lawyers of the political parties as well as members of the CEC and Prosecutor General s Office participated in the seminar. 17 February 2016, 13:33 ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Democracy Institute will hold an exit poll survey on the day of parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan on March 20, representative of the institute Yulia Kuchinskaya told. "Exit poll surveys will embrace 550 polling districts: 313 voting stations in cities and towns and 237 stations in rural areas countywide. We will embrace different groups of the population," Y. Kuchinskaya told at the briefing in Astana. According to her, the campaign will be held in all the regions and cities of Kazakhstan. On the day of the elections the exit polls will be held five times with the consideration of the election activity of different social and demographic groups. Besides, the Democracy Institute will hold surveys on different issues such as organization and holding of the elections. According to Y. Kuchinskaya, the method of the planned surveys was tested by Kazakhstani and foreign specialists multiple times. The exit poll staff will be 1100 people. Two-man teams will be working at each voting station. The results will be available on the next day after the elections. The requestor of the social surveys including exit polls is KTK TV channel.

12 17 February 2016, 12:00 ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan accredited 40 observers from the OSCE/ODIHR missions as of today, member of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan Tatyana Okhlopkova informed. "As of today, 40 observers from the OSCE/ODIHR missions are accredited in total. They represent 19 countries including Austria, Germany, Georgia, Denmark, Ireland, Moldova, the Netherlands," T. Okhlopkova told at sitting of the CEC today. According to her, the majority of the accredited observers are from Russia, five observers from Germany and four from the USA and Great Britain. 16 February 2016, 10:05 ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Central Election Commission held a drawing of the political parties of the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan on their order in the voting paper. The drawing procedure was held in the following order: the Secretary of the Central Election Commission put numbers assigned to the political parties registered by the commission into envelopes. Each envelope had only one number. The envelopes were closed, mixed and laid on the desk in front of the participants of the drawing procedures. The, representatives of political parties came to the desk took an envelope, opened and showed the number they had inside the envelope. The number in the envelope indicates the order a political party will be included in the voting paper.

13 Askar Myrzakhmetov of the Nur Otan Party was first to open the envelope and he had number 1 in the envelope. Azat Peruashev of the Democratic Party "Akzhol" had number 3. Head of the People's Democratic Patriotic Party "Akzhol" Boribai Zheksembin had number 6 in his envelope. Head of the election campaign headquarters of the Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan Aikyn Konyrov found number 2 in his envelope. Deputy head of the election campaign headquarters of the National Social and Democtratic Party Askar Rikhimzhanov had number 5 and member of the political council of "Birlik" Party Roza Sagtaganova had number 4 in her envelope. 15 February 2016 ASTANA. KAZINFORM Kazakhstan's Central Election Commission held a seminar with the heads of mass media regarding coverage of the election campaign and observance of the pre-election agitation rules. Member the CEC Lyazzat Suleimen informed the participants of the election legislation, in particular, on organization of mass media s activity in electoral period, the order and the terms of pre-election agitation of the parties and the candidates through mass media. In particular, she pointed out that mass media must ensure unbiased coverage of election campaign of the parties and the candidates as well as provide equal access to mass media. The regulation of mass media s activity during pre-election agitation is an important component which ensures transparency, openness and fairness of the election process, Suleimen said. In turn, Chairman of the Kazakh MID Informatization and Information committee T.Kazangap told about the Committee s activities and pointed out important role of mass media in election process and informing the society of its course. Representative of the Prosecutor General s Office Nurdaulet Suindikov told about legal regulation of agitation campaign and law-enforcement practice in this issue.

14 11 February 2016 Lebedev to lead CIS observation mission at parliamentary election in Kazakhstan MINSK. KAZINFORM - The CIS observation mission at the snap parliamentary election in Kazakhstan will be led by Chairman of the Executive Committee, CIS Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev. His candidacy has been approved at a meeting of the CIS Plenipotentiaries Council, BelTA learnt from the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. "The CIS plenipotentiaries coordinated the candidature of Sergei Lebedev as head of the CIS observation mission at the snap election of the members of the Majilis (the lower chamber of the parliament) of the Republic of Kazakhstan," the press service informed. It is expected that nearly 300 CIS representatives will take part in the observation of the election. The snap parliamentary election in Kazakhstan is scheduled for 20 March 2016, Kazinform has learnt from eng.belta.by. 10 February 2016 ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan positively assessed the work of the election commission of Astana on preparation for the elections. Today, members of the election commission of Astana presented a report on the work on organization and holding of the elections of deputies to the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan and maslikhats.

15 "We heard the report on the work of the election commission of Astana. I would like to stress that the election commission of Astana had always done a good job. The today's report also gives us confidence that the elections will go well on March We have no remarks about the report of the election commission of Astana on the conducted work and we continue to work in this direction," Kuandyk Turgankulov told at the sitting of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan. 09 February 2016, 19:06 ASTANA. KAZINFORM candidates from six political parties are running for Majilis seats in Kazakhstan, according to Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kuandyk Turgankulov. "Six parties - the Nur Otan Party, the Democratic Party of Kazakhstan "Ak Zhol", the People's Democratic Party "Auyl", the Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan and the Nationwide Social and Democratic Party "Birlik" - have submitted the lists of their candidates to the CEC," Mr. Turgankulov said at a press briefing on Tuesday. The CEC has already registered the party lists of the Nur Otan Party, the Ak Zhol Party, the Auyl Party and the Communist Party. "Those lists include 203 candidates (80% - male candidates and 20% - female candidates)," he elaborated. Recall that Kazakhstan will hold snap parliamentary elections on March 20.

16 ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Kazakhstanis will be able to cast their votes at the upcoming elections to Majilis and maslikhats at special polling stations abroad, according to Secretary of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan Bakhyt Meldeshov. "Citizens of Kazakhstan who will be aboard on the day of elections to Majilis and maslikhats (March 20) can cast their votes at 65 polling stations there," Mr. Meldeshov announced at a press briefing on Thursday. He admitted that the polling stations hadn't been organized in all foreign countries so far. "There are 65 polling stations abroad. For example, we have three or four polling stations in Russia, two polling stations in the U.S. and one polling station in other 60 countries," he added. 2 February 2016, 19:06 The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan presented the party list of the Democratic People's Patriotic Party "Aul". In accordance with the requirements of electoral law a party list was handed over to a representative of a political party. "The XII Extraordinary Congress of the People's Democratic Patriotic Party "Aul" read and approved the list of candidates for deputies of the Majilis. In accordance with the rules and legislation the Party have filed today all relevant documents. The party list includes 19 candidates. Among them, there are eight candidates with a degree, 5 - doctors of science, 3 - candidates of sciences. The party list also presents four nationalities: Kazakhs, Russian, Ukrainian and Ingush. The party list "Aul" is made up of public figures of culture, representatives of the manufacturing sector, business representatives, executive authorities (mayors of villages, districts)", - the secretary "Aul" Boribay Zheksembin said during a briefing. Recall, election program is "Bringing tradition to aul!" The party is to support the government strategy to overcome the consequences of the global crisis and raising the country's economy on a new, more qualitative level of development. The main leitmotif of the election program - the revival of the national-cultural origins and development of the traditional values of the people.

17 ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Ak Zhol Party has submitted the documents of its candidates running for seats at Majilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, to the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan today. "After the registration of our candidates, we will get down to business. First of all, we need to form electoral fund," Chairman of the party Azat Peruashev said at a press briefing on Wednesday. The full list of candidates from the Ak Zhol Party was approved at the 13th Congress of the party in Astana the same day. According to Mr. Peruashev, the list includes 35 candidates, 24 (68%) of whom are businessmen, heads of enterprises and banks. Among the candidates there are Azat Peruashev himself, ex-deputies Nurlan Zhazylbekov, Yekaterina Nikitinskaya, Azamat Abildayev, Talgat Yeraliyev, Svetlana Kadraliyeva, Meruert Kazbekova and many others. ASTANA. KAZINFORM Birlik Party has nominated eight candidates for the Majilis deputies' seats. Chairman of the Party Serik Sultangali said it at the 2nd extraordinary congress of Birlik in Astana. Our Party unites more than 53,000 followers and strives to make a contribution to the formation of a strong and prosperous Kazakhstan, Sultangali said. Taking the floor, Sultangali declared that his Party will support the implementation of the President s Five Institutional Reforms. The congress approved the list of candidates and the Party s election platform.

18 Friday, 29 January th Congress of the Nur Otan Party under the chairmanship of President Nursultan Nazarbayev During the Congress chaired by President Nursultan Nazarbayev the Nur Otan Party adopted a new election programme, Kazakhstan-2021: Unity. Stability. Creation, approved the party list and changed its Political Bureau. The programme is based on the Plan of the Nation of 100 Concrete Steps to implement the five institutional reforms. In his speech, the President focused on key issues of the country s development and addressed a number of issues with regard to the new electoral programme. Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that legislative support was launched last year, five of institutional reforms adopted 59 new laws. Today, all state agencies are actively working on them, there are already concrete results. We support our working population through implementation of the Employment Roadmap-2020 Programme. There is no place for unemployment in Kazakhstan. We have all the resources in place to avoid it. On the whole, nearly 400,000 new jobs will be created across the country under the Nurly Zhol programme projects in the upcoming years, he said. Nursultan Nazarbayev called the congress a responsible and historic moment, noting the party must make the necessary decisions on its participation in the Mazhilis elections. The total volume of the national economy grew 23 times, 28 new economic sectors have been created over the last six years and 890 new productions started operation. Kazakhstan s companies now produce 400 new types of products and the per capita GDP increased 20 times in 17 years, he added. The President said the whole world is observing the execution of the five institutional reforms, which requires the state apparatus to work technologically and effectively. A new three-stage selection system in the public service has been introduced and a full transition career model work is provided. New institutions of the authorised state bodies on ethics and anti-corruption monitoring were introduced for the first time, he added. The Head of State stressed Kazakhstan is the first nation activating five institutional reforms based on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards, which is the key to success. The fifth reform enhances public accountability. Annual public reports of executives have already been introduced. It increases the transparency of

19 government decision-making. Implementation of the new evaluation system of state bodies started. An absolute goal for Kazakhstan is to achieve an international AAA rating. This is the highest level in the language of global business, which means that all financial obligations of Kazakhstan will be carried out in any economic and financial circumstances that will occur, he said. Nursultan Nazarbayev pointed out the investment ombudsman is working to protect the rights of foreign investors and a visa-free regime for citizens of 19 countries was introduced. The Astana International Financial Centre will get tax benefits for its members and English law. The upcoming elections of deputies must pass openly, honestly and in a competitive struggle, he said. The congress was attended by more than 2,000 government officials, heads of national holdings, social activists, professional sportsmen, scientific and cultural figures, representatives of NGOs and youth organisations, as well as foreign diplomats and news media. At the end of its proceedings, the congress voted to approve the list of 127 candidates to be included on its party list for the March 20 election. ASTANA. KAZINFORM As we settle into 2016, the world faces an uncertain future. Economic instability has escalated geopolitical tensions and an increase in extremism has led to migratory pressures that are now dictating the global political agenda. In Kazakhstan, falling commodity prices and external factors such as the sanctions on Russia and falling demand from China have had a negative effect on our economy. It is no secret that the upcoming year will be a challenge. Strong leadership and a clear strategy will be essential for our nation to overcome the current economic climate. It is for this reason that President Nursultan Nazarbayev approved a parliamentary initiative to dissolve the lower house and call an early parliamentary election. A new parliament and a new government, with a strong mandate to continue down the path of change we have already started, will be able to implement the measures needed to navigate our country back to prosperity. Backed by our people, they will be able to provide the stability necessary for reforms to flourish.

20 Kazakhstan has overcome economic headwinds such as these before and there is no doubt in my mind that we can do so again. The reforms we have enacted are designed to diversify our economy away from an over-reliance on hydro-carbons and towards a mixed industry landscape. A strong and stable economy has been a key priority for our President and the Nurly Zhol (Path to the Future) New Economic Policy has already started investing $9 billion in public spending over three years, mainly in infrastructure development, which will create thousands of new jobs in our country. More than ever we are looking to engage with an increasingly globalized world and thanks to projects like the New Silk Road initiative our country is placed to take its place at the core of global trade. We recognize the need to let our population decide on who they believe should guide Kazakhstan back towards the success we have worked so hard to achieve. As such, we are committed to ensuring that the election will be open, transparent and fair. We are inviting international observers from the OSCE, CIS, SCO and other organizations to monitor the campaign and electoral process across the country. Election authorities will thoroughly investigate any suspected violations that are brought to our attention and we will make sure that once again the international observers can say with confidence that all election preparations have been effectively administered so voting can proceed freely. The election also serves to remind us of the progress we have achieved in our short history, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary of independence this year. On voting day, citizens from the multitude of faiths and backgrounds that make up our rich society will come together to choose new representatives. It can be tempting to view Kazakhstan s democratic progress through the critical lens of established nation states with centuries-old traditions of pluralistic societies, but the speed of our transition, from a totalitarian to democratic nation shows our commitment to change and reform. We are proud of what we have achieved and we will always strive to improve where we can. These elections, and the opportunity they provide to our citizens to debate how we face and overcome our challenges, are incredibly important and we look forward to hearing the voice of our people. The author is Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov.

21 ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Central Election Commission has held a meeting which adopted a resolution on holding early elections to the Majilis and maslikhats on March 20, In addition, the sitting has approved the schedules for the preparation and holding of the snap elections to Majilis and maslikhats, as well as samples of election documents.