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Kazakhstan PM gets parliament vote, promises reforms
Calcutta News.Net
Friday 20th January, 2012
ASTANA Kazakhstan prime minister Karim Masimov was reaffirmed by parliament Friday at its first session after the January 15 elections that saw the ruling Nur Otan party retain majority control of the lower house or Majlis, having won 83 out of 107 seats.
The pro-business Ak Zhol and the People's Communist Party have eight and seven deputies, respectively. Nine deputies were appointed by a presidential advisory body.
Downplaying the criticism of the monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that the elections lacked transparency, Masimov said he respected the views of the OSCE and would strive to improve standards.
"For the next election we will make the necessary steps to be close to international standards, but at the same time I, as the prime minister, strongly believe that we did have free-and-fair elections," Masimov said in an interview, reported AP News Agency.
Masimov has held the country's second highest position since 2007, making him the longest-serving prime minister since Kazakhstan gained independence in 1991.
An urbane polyglot with a command of several languages, Masimov is liked by international investors and widely credited with steering the country through a downturn caused by the global economic crisis.
Masimov said political reforms are necessary if Kazakhstan is to further grow its economy, which has expanded at a robust pace over the past decade, with a brief interlude during the height of the crisis.
"We have set out on the path of democratic development. Competitive conditions will provide the opportunity to take informed decisions," the prime minister said.
Deputies from three parties were sworn in at an official ceremony overseen by the oil-rich nation's powerful veteran president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Serik Akhmetov was promoted to first deputy prime minister from deputy premier, replacing Umirzak Shukeyev, who was appointed head of the Samruk-Kazyna sovereign-wealth fund in December.
Kairat Kelimbetov, who previously headed the ministry of trade and economic development, was named deputy prime minister. Bakytzhan Sagintayev, the former head of the Pavlodar region, will take over as minister of trade and economic development.
Monitors from the OSCE expressed substantial misgivings over the conduct of Sunday's election, saying the vote count lacked transparency. The more militant wings of the opposition insist they have been denied a fair attempt at gaining even a foothold in parliament.
Masimov said authorities will soon take steps for devolution of more power to local authorities in Kazakhstan, a sparsely populated nation of 17 million that shares long borders with China and Russia.
"In a few months we will make a concrete proposal how to advance forward," Masimov said.
Kazakhstan is still reeling from a major protest by workers last month in the oil town of Zhanaozen for better work conditions and wages. The protest took a violent turn with 16 people being killed in clashes with police. The incident provoked a riot in another town, where one person was killed in police firing.
Though an oil and gas rich country, Kazakhstan has failed to reach the benefits of its wealth to large parts of the country.
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