BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 24. Kazakhstan will
hold elections to maslikhats, local representative bodies, at all
levels following the early termination of their powers, President
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the first session of the Kazakhstan
People’s Council in Astana today.


This was announced in a statement published by the press service
of the Kazakh president.


Tokayev said the elections would become the final stage of the
transformation of the country’s public administration system.


“The transformations must continue. The final stage of the
reforms will be the elections to maslikhats at all levels,” he
said.


He noted that the current deputies of local representative
bodies would retain their powers until their termination on the
grounds provided for by the Constitution and laws.


Tokayev also pointed to the political situation surrounding the
composition of the maslikhats. He said that the overwhelming
majority of their deputies had been elected from the Amanat party,
which currently does not operate independently after joining the
Ädilet party.







The president said the relevant legal procedures would be
completed soon, after which the legitimacy of a large part of the
maslikhat deputy corps would become an issue.


At the same time, he stressed that maslikhats should continue to
fully perform their functions of representing citizens’ interests
at the local level, approving budgets and overseeing regional
development.


“Therefore, in the near future I will hold consultations with
the Prime Minister and the Chairperson of the Kurultai on the early
termination of the powers of maslikhats at all levels, following
which I will sign the relevant decree. After that, the Central
Election Commission will have to determine the date of the upcoming
elections,” Tokayev said.


According to the president, the decision will pave the way for
the formation of a qualified and professional body of maslikhat
deputies and give new impetus to their work.


“I am confident that you will also make a significant
contribution to holding these elections at a high and quality
level,” he said.