Pressurizing opposition activists, arresting state officials… The situation in Kazakhstan is getting bleaker every day. There is a crisis on, and it seems that Akorda is trying to rebalance things but not for the purpose of shifting the power from the president to his successor. Their goal is to preserve the status quo.
Following the US presidential elections, experts are wondering in what direction the multifaceted international policy of Kazakhstan will change. Some say it will remain the same while others believe that these potential changes depend directly on how the US relationship with Kazakhstan’s two neighbors – Russia and China – are going to develop.
The Kazakh authorities believe last year’s property legalization campaign was a success. However, to achieve it, the government had to rework drastically the initial conditions of it.
Marat Tazhin’s return to Nazarbayev Administration has attracted everyone’s attention in Kazakhstan and abroad. Moreover, one can even call it a sensation in no small part due to the sad fate of Tazhin’s predecessor. Baglan Maylybayev had lost not only his post but also his freedom on a charge so unexpected for such a high level official.
Nazarbaev’s third modernization’s latest priority has been labeled ‘institutional reforms, security and fight against corruption’. This part of elbasy’s message to the people of Kazakhstan consists mostly of requests to the government and institutions subordinate to the head of the state. Let’s see if they have a chance of being fulfilled.
This year in Kazakhstan has started with president’s statements about the start of the initiative of redistributing powers and the third modernization of the country. However, along with these seemingly progressive steps, a cleanup of the civili society is in full force, with Maks Bokaev and Talat Ayan receiving prison sentences and journalist Janbolat Mamay being arrested.