Kazakhstan's president on Monday delivered a State of the Nation Address following his election in June, proposing a number of initiatives aimed at promoting further development of the nation.
Speaking in Parliament, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan is approaching an important milestone in its history, 30 years since the people gained their independence.
"Over these years under the leadership the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev, our country has turned into a stable, reputed state. Thanks to unbreakable unity we have strengthened the country’s sovereignty and increased the welfare of our people," Tokayev told lawmakers.
The president proposed a number of initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency of public administration, ensuring the rights, freedoms and security of citizens, creating a developed and inclusive economy, modernizing social security of the population, as well as strengthening the country’s regions, the president’s official website said.
Tokayev also promised to support political competition and pluralism in the country.
"If (demonstrations are) peaceful actions that are not aimed at breaking the law and breaching the peace, then it is important to make concessions and give permission to hold demonstrations according to the law," he said in the speech, broadcast to the nation on television.
He added that special areas should be allocated for protests.
"If the goals of peaceful actions are to not violate the law and disturb other citizens, then such actions must be allowed to be organized and special places must be defined for such events, which must not be in city suburbs," Tokayev said.
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The 66-year-old became president after the shock resignation in March of long-ruling leader Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The next parliamentary and local elections are scheduled for 2021.
(With input from AFP)
(Cover: Kazakhstan's President-elect Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev attends a press conference on the results of the 2019 Kazakh presidential election, June 10, 2019. /VCG Photo)