Vowing to create a “New Kazakhstan”, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday congratulated the people of the central Asian country on the nation’s Constitution Day.
“This year, this holiday has a special political significance. The result of the national referendum on changes to the Constitution showed that the large-scale reforms aimed at the unity of our people and comprehensive modernization of our country received maximum support,” Tokayev said in his message.
“We followed the principles of rule of law, justice and equal opportunities for all, and began to create New Kazakhstan. It is time for every responsible citizen of the country to actively participate in the implementation of reforms and contribute to the development of our country,” he added.
Constitution Day is a national holiday in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which is celebrated annually on August 30, according to the Kazakhstan Embassy in India.
It commemorates the adoption of the Kazakhstan Constitution in August 1995. This holiday marks one of the most significant days in the history of Kazakhstan, as it reflects the Kazakhstan population’s determination to establish the country as a democratic, secular, constitutional and social state.
Constitution Day in Kazakhstan is usually celebrated with festivities, concerts and exhibitions, which are held in every region and city of the country. The Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the highest law of Kazakhstan.
The Constitution was approved by a referendum on August 30, 1995. It replaced the first post-Soviet 1993 constitutional document. The adoption of the constitution is seen as a key event in the modern history of Kazakhstan and a contributing factor in the country’s political stability and economic growth.
The preamble of the current constitution emphasizes the importance of “freedom, equality and concord” and Kazakhstan’s role in the international community.
The Constitution was initially developed on the initiative and with the participation of former President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. It serves as a foundation for the country’s achievements in the socio-economic sphere.
The Constitution has been amended five times: in 1998, 2007, 2011, 2017 and most recently in 2022. Most significant amendments to the Constitution were made in 2022.
The proposed changes were put to a referendum, which was held on June 5. This was the first referendum since 1995, when the Constitution was initially approved.
On March 16, President of Kazakhstan, delivered his State-of-the-Nation Address, which contained significant political reforms and proposals to democratise the political processes in Kazakhstan.
To prepare the draft amendment to the Constitution, a special working group was established, which included prominent legal scholars, experts, and representatives of authorized bodies.
The draft constitutional amendments are based on requests from citizens and are implemented in the interests of the entire society. After a detailed review of all the proposals, the draft amendments were sent to the Constitutional Council, which gave its opinion on its compliance with the provisions of the Constitution.
President Tokayev announced on May 5 that he signed a Decree on holding the referendum. The nationwide referendum on June 5, 2022, on the adoption of amendments and additions to the Constitution was a historic moment for Kazakhstan. Over 77 per cent of citizens voted in favour of constitutional amendments.
The constitutional reform will expand the participation of citizens in governance and ensure genuine democratisation of political processes. Overall, the changes affect a third of the articles of the Constitution.
The constitutional reform is aimed at a comprehensive transformation of the entire state model, which includes the final transition from a “super-presidential” form of government to a presidential republic with an influential parliament and an accountable government, which entails limiting the powers of the President.
