NEW KAZAKHSTAN: THE PATH OF RENEWAL AND MODERNIZATION

Dear compatriots!

Dear friends!

Today's Message is of particular importance. Its content and scope go beyond one year.

We set ambitious goals for ourselves.

Together we started building a New Kazakhstan.

Last year, our country reached an important milestone – the 30th anniversary of Independence. By historical standards, this is a small period.

Under the leadership of the First President Nursultan Nazarbayev, we have come a long way, achieved significant success, but we can lose everything if we do not maintain unity. The upheavals of the beginning of the year have clearly confirmed this.

The January events stirred up society. Our people faced an unprecedented challenge when the integrity of the country was under threat. These days we have deeply realized the enduring value of Independence, realized how important peace, stability and harmony are.

Thanks to unity, we defended our state. Timely measures were taken and the terrorists were decisively repulsed.

I have never hidden anything from citizens. During the pandemic, he openly talked about all the problems. During the days of the "Tragic January", he made several appeals to the people, in which he spoke in detail about the situation.

Each of my decisions was made based on the interests of the country. And this approach is unshakable for me.

Unfortunately, during the January events, many of our compatriots died due to the criminal actions of radicals and terrorists. Once again, I express my deep condolences to their families and friends. We will do everything possible to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.

It is our duty to bring to justice all the bandits and terrorists involved in these bloody crimes. We must learn important lessons from the events of January.

We must no longer allow the peace and tranquility in our country to be violated, its security to be jeopardized.

To be honest, now there are various rumors and speculations in society that mislead people and form a false picture of events. Therefore, it is extremely important to publish reliable information and give an objective assessment. We must do everything so that the people understand the reasons for what happened. The Kazakh proverb says: "Atken kunnen alys zhok, keler kunnen zhakyn zhok" ("There is nothing further than yesterday, and there is nothing closer to tomorrow").

Just yesterday, special hearings were held in Parliament, at which law enforcement agencies presented a full report on the results of the investigation. We have never had such a broad discussion.

Deputies and journalists received open answers to questions of concern to society. This suggests that the authorities are primarily interested in a fair assessment of the January events. And I fully share this approach. We must tell the truth – this is my principled position.

Investigative measures carried out by the Interdepartmental Investigative Task Force are still underway. I instruct law enforcement agencies to publish the results of their work on an ongoing basis.

During the events of the "Tragic January" and the subsequent state of emergency, about two thousand people were detained for various offenses. Then I instructed the Prosecutor General's Office to establish the degree of their guilt, and in the absence of aggravating circumstances to mitigate the punishment of the detained persons. As a result, many citizens were released.

At the same time, persons who have committed serious crimes will fully answer before the law. To act differently, to meet the screamers, provocateurs, populists, means to betray the memory of the innocent victims.

Criminal cases have been initiated against several hundred people. We have recognized the facts when law enforcement officers used prohibited methods of inquiry and even torture against detainees. Such barbaric manifestations of the Middle Ages contradict the principles of any progressive society. They are unacceptable to us as well.

As soon as the first reports of such cases appeared, I was instructed to thoroughly investigate them.

In addition, the Commissioner for Human Rights joined the active work almost from the first days. A group of human rights defenders, members of the National Council of Public Trust freely visited the detention centers, got acquainted with the conditions of detention of participants in the January events, considered their complaints.

The Ombudsman, independent public commissions headed by reputable lawyers closely interacted with the prosecutor's office, openly expressed and defended their positions.

Such work showed the transparency and democracy of the investigative process, allowed each appeal, each complaint to be approached individually. As a result, it was possible to significantly reduce the risks of wrongful sentences.

Such a practice of open cooperation between civil society and authorized bodies should, in my opinion, be firmly rooted in our country. I would like to take this opportunity to thank public figures and lawyers for their active position and professionalism.

Preliminary results of the investigation are already ready. It is known for sure that the conspirators tried to seize power. The question arises, what prompted them to take such a step? The answer is obvious.

In recent years, Kazakhstan has embarked on the path of radical modernization and transformation. Large-scale transformations have begun in various spheres. Some influential people didn't like it. They expected to continue their long-term illegal activities. Moreover, they were eager to gain power.

The conspirators formed an underground group of professional mercenaries, armed bandits and traitors from among the officials. Internal and external enemies of our state have united to seize power. They directed peaceful protests in a destructive direction, used the people for their criminal purposes.

The terrorists attacked government buildings, strategic infrastructure and business facilities. They shot at civilians to blame the authorities for this. Foreign radical forces tried to use this situation. They wanted to turn Kazakhstan into a hot spot, tear apart our country, destroy peaceful life, overthrow the President. It was an unprecedented challenge to our statehood.

However, their criminal plans failed.

I openly declared then: no matter what happens, I will always be with my people.

No wonder people say "Ishten shykkan zhau zhaman" ("There is no worse enemy than a traitor"). Among those who tried to carry out the coup, there were famous people who held high positions. These are state traitors.

Among the traitors are the heads of military and special bodies who prevented the law enforcement agencies from taking legal actions, misinformed the country's leadership about the situation in the cities, took control of government and other communication channels.

In short, they used all possible means to destabilize the country. As a result, we were forced to ask for help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

We took this step in accordance with all domestic and international standards. The peacekeeping forces did not fire a single shot in our country, they only guarded strategic facilities. All this was clearly discussed.

Two weeks later, after the situation normalized, the peacekeeping contingent was completely withdrawn from Kazakhstan. The CSTO is a collective organization in which our country is also a member.

The important role of the peacekeeping mission cannot be underestimated, but, ultimately, we defeated the bandits on our own.

In this regard, I would like to focus on the following issue separately. The betrayal of the conspirators should not tarnish the reputation of law enforcement agencies.

Our compatriots, our brothers serve in them. They proved that they stand on the side of the people and are ready to fight to the last for the sake of their Homeland. They remained faithful to the oath, selflessly defending the state. I express my gratitude to the guards who courageously resisted the threat at a critical moment.

At the same time, many of our citizens voluntarily formed self-defense detachments, thereby participating in the protection of public order. I thank everyone who showed courage, unity and solidarity at a crucial moment.

These days our people have demonstrated their unity and readiness to overcome any challenges. Thanks to patriotism, we have preserved our sacred Independence.

The January events were the biggest test for our statehood. We were standing on the very edge of the abyss. If we made one wrong step, we could lose our state.

The investigation into the conspiracy of the security forces and their accomplices continues at an intensive pace, in secrecy.

There is a lot of work ahead with witnesses, conducting examinations, studying various data.

One thing I can say: there was a large-scale, detailed operation, the purpose of which was to displace the top leadership, discredit it in the eyes of the people and the foreign public.

To achieve this goal, the conspirators did not hesitate to use professionally trained militants, who were tasked with sowing chaos in Almaty, our largest city, instilling fear in people, making them believe in the fatality of the outcome of events, destabilizing the situation in the country.

Therefore, I assure you that all those responsible for these tragic events will be punished, no matter what positions and positions they occupy in society.

In those days, there was no choice but to take tough and decisive measures. At the most crucial moment, I did everything in my power for the country. This is my duty as President and as a citizen.

Dear deputies!

Dear compatriots!

My main priority as President has always been and will continue to be the implementation of reforms demanded by the people.

I am absolutely sure that the country's steady progress and large-scale socio-economic transformations are impossible without political modernization.

For two and a half years, we have achieved serious results in this direction.

First. About the powers of the President

As I have already said, Kazakhstan has a super-presidential model of government.

At the initial stage of the country's development, it was justified. But we are not standing still – society is changing, the country is changing. And our political system must constantly adapt to new realities.

Today we literally have everything locked on the President, and this is fundamentally wrong. It is necessary to gradually move away from this practice.

The long-term interests of the state are more important to me than some additional levers of power and situational influence. Therefore, at the January congress of the Amanat Party, I announced my intention to leave the post of its chairman this year.

The merging of party structures with the state apparatus is highly undesirable. Monopoly in politics inevitably leads to various social diseases and degradation of the state.

Political dominance needs to be put up a reliable barrier. I propose to legislate the duty of the President to terminate membership in the party for the period of his powers.

This norm will increase political competition, ensure equal conditions for the development of all parties. Thus, we will save the future leaders of the country from the temptation to subjugate the main political institutions.

Proceeding from the same logic, it is necessary to introduce into our legislation a provision on the mandatory withdrawal from the party of the chairmen and members of the Central Election Commission, the Accounts Committee and the Constitutional Council.

At the same time, we see that the over-concentration of powers in the center is projected to the regional level. Therefore, it is necessary to legally prohibit akims and their deputies from holding positions in party branches.

Such decisions will make it possible to form a multipolar party system.

Today, it has become obvious to the whole society that it was the monopolization of political and economic activity that played almost the most important role in the events of January.

But an important lesson of the "Tragic January" is that the concentration of powers in the hands of the highest official in the state unnecessarily strengthens the influence of persons close to him and financial oligarchic groups. And they perceive the state as a personal patrimony.

Nepotism, in whatever country it may be, inevitably leads to negative personnel selection, becomes fertile ground for the flourishing of corruption.

The head of State should act as an unshakable guarantor of equal opportunities for all citizens.

Therefore, for the closest relatives of the President, a legislative ban will be introduced on holding positions of political civil servants and managers in the quasi-public sector. I think it would not be superfluous to fix this rule in the Constitution.

The over-concentration of the President's power is also expressed in an excessive amount of his powers.

The Head of State has the right to cancel or suspend the acts of akims of regions, cities of republican significance.

This norm contributes to the rooting of excessive practice of "manual management" and reduces the independence of local executive bodies.

Moreover, now the President has the right to remove district and even rural akims from office.

Such legislative provisions should be abolished.

The rejection of excessive presidential powers will be an important factor that will ensure the irreversibility of political modernization in the country.

The proposed initiatives will fundamentally change the "rules of the game" and form a solid foundation for the further democratization of our society.

second. Reformatting the representative branch of government

By consistently reducing the powers of the President, we have to significantly strengthen the role of Parliament and thereby increase the institutional stability of the state.

The country needs a strong representative government in which responsible deputies with a mandate of people's trust will play an active role in state-building.

First of all, in my opinion, the order of formation and a number of functions of the Senate should be reviewed.

Currently, the upper house consists of 49 deputies (two elected senators from each region) and 15 senators appointed by the President.

This design allowed due consideration of regional specifics and enabled the Head of State to directly influence the legislative process.

For its time, it was quite progressive and effective. But today we need to move forward.

The presidential quota in the Senate should be considered not as a means of control, but as a mechanism for taking into account the voices and opinions of social groups that are poorly represented in Parliament.

Therefore, I have decided to reduce the presidential quota in the Senate from 15 to 10 deputies.

Moreover, five of them will be recommended by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, and not elected by it, as is currently the case.

The lower house of Parliament should reflect the entire electoral landscape of the country without granting artificial preferences to anyone.

Thus, we will abolish the quota of the APK in the Majilis, which, in my opinion, is correct both from a political and legal point of view.

This quota is transferred to the Senate and reduced from 9 to 5 deputies. Accordingly, the total number of deputy seats in the Majilis will decrease. As they say, less is better, but better.

This innovation will provide mandates and additional votes to various ethnic groups in the upper house.

In general, I consider the presence of the Senate as the upper house of Parliament to be natural and justified.

There are quite a few states in the world with a unitary structure and a smaller population than in Kazakhstan, and, nevertheless, having bicameral parliaments, in particular, in Europe.

Another thing is that our Senate should become a chamber that really represents the interests of the country's regions. And this will require a reform of his powers.

According to the Constitution, the Senate has the right to adopt or not to adopt bills approved by the Majilis. That is, the Mazhilis actually has no possibility of overcoming the objections of the upper chamber.

In order to form a more balanced parliamentary system, it is necessary to reconsider this practice.

I consider it expedient to introduce a norm that presupposes the right of the Senate only to approve or disapprove laws already adopted by the Majilis.

Consequently, it is the Mazhilis that is given the right to adopt laws.

The powers of the Senate, in turn, should be supplemented with the right to approve candidates for the posts of chairmen of the Constitutional Council and the Supreme Judicial Council.

This innovation will seriously strengthen the mechanisms of checks and balances in the political system. And it will significantly simplify the legislative procedure.

Along with this, the functionality of the Mazhilis will also be expanded.

Many large-scale projects and programs are being developed in our country, but often their implementation is far from ideal for various reasons.

It is necessary to strengthen parliamentary control over the quality of execution of the republican budget. To do this, I propose to transform the Accounts Committee into the Supreme Audit Chamber, the chairman of which must report twice a year to the deputies of the lower house. This will further enhance the status of the Mazhilis.

To increase the confidence of citizens in the representative government, special attention should be paid to maslikhats.

Strong maslikhats contribute to solving urgent problems and increasing the quality of life in the regions.

I believe that in order to strengthen their subjectivity and independence, the post of Chairman of the Maslikhat should be introduced.

In addition, in order to systematically strengthen the influence of maslikhats, I consider it necessary to change the current procedure for appointing regional akims.

Now the deputies of the maslikhats are coordinating or not coordinating the only candidate proposed by the Head of State.

It is necessary to make appropriate amendments to the legislation regulating the right of the President to submit on an alternative basis at least two candidates for the posts of akims of regions and cities of republican significance.

Thus, the President will appoint akims of regions and cities of republican significance, taking into account the results of consideration in maslikhats.

In fact, we are talking about indirect elections of regional leaders.

At the same time, the Head of State retains the right to dismiss the heads of regions without consulting maslikhats.

All the innovations presented on reformatting the representative branch of government are aimed at creating a New Kazakhstan with a strong parliamentary culture and influential people's deputies.

The third. Improving the electoral system

The key goal of the country's political modernization is to increase the role of citizens in government, including through electoral processes.

Fifteen years ago, as part of the constitutional reform, we switched to a proportional model of elections to the lower house of Parliament. Then in 2018, the proportional principle was introduced in the elections of deputies of maslikhats. These steps have given a serious impetus to the development of our party system.

However, along with this positive trend, the negative consequences of such decisions began to manifest themselves.

It must be admitted that non-party citizens were actually deprived of the opportunity to be elected not only to the Majilis, but also to local representative bodies.

As a result, electoral processes have lost their former attractiveness for citizens, and political alienation has increased. People simply stopped believing that their voice matters and is able to change life in the country for the better. By and large, today many voters do not know the deputies by sight.

Taking into account these negative factors, I propose to move to a more harmonious - a mixed electoral system that will fully take into account the rights of all citizens.

The proportional-majority model will better reflect the interests of voters both at the national and regional levels.

Fifth. Modernization of the electoral process

International experience shows that the system of organizing elections is in line with constant changes, the search for optimal solutions for fair and transparent elections is underway.

In addition to informational and technological factors, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly affected this process in recent years.

Alternative forms of voting are expanding in many countries, including electronic, early, remote, and multi-day voting.

Therefore, it is necessary to study the best world experience and, if necessary, gradually implement it.

In the era of rapid development of communication technologies, the activity of candidates and parties in social networks is of great importance. But the current legislation does not regulate agitation in social networks. Despite this, it was conducted in one way or another during the electoral campaigns.

To eliminate this omission, I propose to allow campaigning in social networks by fixing the relevant regulations and rules.

It is also necessary to legislate the activities of observers. This institution is an integral element of transparent elections.

The history of democracy is, first of all, the history of improving electoral procedures and monitoring their compliance.

I believe that observers should have clearly spelled out rights and a clearly defined area of responsibility.

Territorial election commissions also play an important role in the organization and conduct of elections. With the introduction of direct election of rural akims last year, the electoral process across the country has become, in fact, permanent.

It is necessary to revise the principles of the activity of territorial election commissions, transferring them to a professional basis.

In order to exclude the possibility of double voting, as well as voting at any polling station, it is necessary to consider the feasibility of forming a single electronic database of voters.

And in order to prevent the influence of individuals on the course of elections, it is required to set limits on the size of donations to election funds.

According to the Constitution and according to international law, any elections in Kazakhstan are strictly our internal affair. But this rule does not exclude potential attempts to influence their results from abroad.

Taking into account these factors, the general increase in various hybrid threats in the world, including the use of electoral technologies, effective measures should be taken at the legislative level to prevent any possibility of foreign interference in elections in our country.

First of all, this concerns ensuring maximum financial transparency of all participants in election campaigns, whether candidates, observers or the media.

Sixth. Strengthening human rights institutions

The Constitution has the highest legal force and is the basis of the entire legal system of the country. But there are often cases when it is difficult to give an unambiguous answer whether certain legislative acts or decisions comply with its provisions.

In Kazakhstan, the interpretation of various legal norms is given by the Constitutional Council. However, citizens are deprived of the opportunity to directly contact him for explanations.

At the same time, in most countries of the world there is such an institution as the Constitutional Court, where everyone can send relevant requests. At the dawn of Independence, this body existed in Kazakhstan.

Experts agree that its activities more effectively ensure compliance with the provisions of the Basic Law.

Considering these circumstances, I propose to establish a Constitutional Court. The Prosecutor General and the Commissioner for Human Rights should also be given the right to appeal to the Constitutional Court.

I am sure that these initiatives will be an important step in building a just and legal state, will institutionally strengthen the system of checks and balances, protection of constitutional rights of citizens.

You know that I pay special attention to protecting the fundamental rights of citizens.

In 2020, our country joined the Second Optional Protocol on Civil and Political Rights, which provides for the abolition of the death penalty. And last year I signed a decree on further measures in the field of human rights aimed at the long-term and comprehensive development of this sphere. A number of other progressive initiatives were implemented with the participation of the National Council of Public Trust.

However, human rights issues require constant improvement.

I believe that in order to finally consolidate the decision to abolish the death penalty, it is necessary to make appropriate amendments to the Constitution.

It is important to introduce a systematic approach in the investigation of crimes related to torture.

To date, there is no specific body responsible for this direction. This practice is fraught with certain risks.

Therefore, I propose to assign these functions to the Prosecutor General's Office.

This approach will ensure the objectivity and impartiality of the investigation, will confirm the inevitability of punishment for arbitrariness in the law enforcement sphere.

In addition, systematic measures should be taken to reduce the level of violence in society.

In this regard, effective counteraction to offenses in the field of family and household relations plays an important role.

Today, appeals from citizens and public figures about the need to toughen penalties for violence against women and children have become more frequent.

Earlier, I was instructed to determine the expediency of criminalizing such offenses.

I instruct the Prosecutor General's Office to comprehensively study this issue and solve this problem.

In general, in order to increase the rule of law and systematically strengthen human rights activities, I consider it expedient to adopt separate constitutional laws on the Prosecutor's Office and on the Commissioner for Human Rights.

The rule of law cannot be guaranteed without truly independent, open and professional courts at all levels.

The state is doing a lot of work in this direction.

A new recruitment system is being introduced, and the transparency of judicial processes and procedures is being consistently increased.

The Supreme Judicial Council plays a key role in this matter, which ensures the constitutional powers of the President to form courts, guarantees the independence and inviolability of judges.

It is fundamentally important that its activities be completely transparent and open to public monitoring.

This can be achieved through the practice of online broadcasts of competitive procedures of the Supreme Judicial Council and the publication of detailed, reasoned explanations on their results.

Juries allow to expand civil participation in the administration of justice.

In Kazakhstan, jurors can only reach a verdict on particularly serious crimes. I think we should go further and expand the categories of cases to be considered by jury.

This novel will contribute to the democratization of the judicial system, increase public confidence in it.

Seventh. Improving the competitiveness of the media and strengthening the role of civil society institutions

In the modern era, it is critically important for any progressive country to have competitive and free mass media

The domestic media should have their own view of the processes taking place in Kazakhstan, the region and the world. Genuine information security and no less the ideological sovereignty of the country depends on it.

The state will pay special attention to the creation of an open information space, popular and strong media.

Representing an effective channel of communication between the government and the people, the media can and should raise pressing issues. But it should be done with great civic responsibility, not to work on orders from outside, contributing to the polarization of our society, and not for shady fees, participating in the hidden struggle of political clans.

Journalists should sincerely worry about their country and its citizens. It is not for nothing that the media is called the "fourth power", which is why you should dispose of your influence on the minds and hearts of people with all caution. I am specifically addressing our journalistic fraternity.

I am convinced that further democratic transformations are impossible without independent and responsible mass media.

Therefore, it is necessary to revise the law on mass media taking into account the interests of the state, the demands of society and trends in the development of the media sphere.

Another important factor of the country's sustainable and comprehensive progress is the activity of public organizations.

The non-governmental sector invariably raises important social issues and contributes to their comprehensive solution.

The tasks facing Kazakhstan today require enhanced interaction between the state and non-governmental organizations, a systemic reset of civil society institutions.

It is necessary to involve public organizations and activists more widely and deeply in the preparation and implementation of reforms. To do this, first of all, it is necessary to ensure open discussions of all national projects and strategic documents.

In this matter, any imitation, creating the appearance of a dialogue is unacceptable.

We must awaken civic activity in the country and launch a process of conscious and constructive partnership between the state and society.

It is for this reason that we are developing public councils under central and local executive state bodies, as well as in the quasi-public sector.

I have repeatedly criticized their activities, but in general they have a great institutional potential that needs to be fully realized.

This year, on my initiative, it is planned to radically update their compositions, as well as work plans.

Folk wisdom says: "Kenesip pishken ton kelte bolmas" ("A fur coat sewn together will not be short").

Our ancestors have always discussed and made fateful decisions publicly. The evidence of this is the great meetings in Ulytau, Ordabasy, Kultobe.

The ninth. Decentralization of local self-government

Successful political modernization and the development of civil society are impossible without further deepening the process of decentralization of power. We will continue to transfer real powers from the center to the regions.

First of all, it is necessary to effectively differentiate the functions of the state and the institutions of local self-government.

It should be understood that a strong system of local self-government is the basic basis for the direct participation of citizens in improving the quality of life in their native locality.

Without a doubt, Kazakhstanis have long been ready to take responsibility for their cities, districts and villages. Do not underestimate people and be afraid to transfer to them the powers that they are able to assume.

Within the framework of political modernization, maslikhats should become a key link of local self-government.

Today they have a hybrid nature, being at the same time an institution of local public administration and local self-government. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly define the powers of maslikhats.

It is necessary to radically revise the system of financing the regions.

Currently, rural districts are completely dependent on higher akims and receive support on a residual basis.

Taking into account the introduction of elective mayors, it is advisable to introduce a mechanism for direct financing of local self-government bodies in accordance with international best practices.

It is also necessary to significantly expand their property base. With substantial resources, they will be able to really influence the situation and bear responsibility. Otherwise, it's just imitation, not self-management.

All the necessary preparatory work on this issue should be completed by the middle of this year.

Another important step will be the simplification of the procurement procedure for local governments, the elimination of bureaucracy and formalism.

I instruct the Government, together with the Presidential Administration, to work out in detail the mechanisms for implementing these instructions and take them into account when drafting the law "On Local Self-Government".

In addition, it is necessary to work out the issue of Kazakhstan's ratification of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which is the basic international document in this area.

All these measures will contribute to the emergence of truly authoritative and responsible local leaders who are able to mobilize their communities to effectively solve problems of concern to people.

The real strengthening of the system of local self-government will open up new opportunities for the development of the regions, the reduction of dependent sentiments, the deep-rooted democratic transformations in the country.

The tenth. On priority anti-crisis measures

Kazakhstan has faced unprecedented financial and economic difficulties in our modern history, associated with a sharp aggravation of the geopolitical situation.

Tough sanctions confrontation already leads to serious costs not only for individual countries, but also for the entire global economy.

The situation is changing rapidly, literally hourly. Uncertainty and turbulence on world markets are increasing, production and trade chains are collapsing.

But there is still no reason to panic. Our country has all the necessary reserves and tools to overcome a large-scale crisis.

The Government is obliged to urgently implement a comprehensive package of priority anti-crisis measures.

First of all, it is necessary to ensure the stability of the national currency. This is a key factor of our economic security.

Recent events in the world have exerted a powerful pressure on the tenge exchange rate. You know that very well. Instability in the foreign exchange market is associated with panic, withdrawal of capital, "gray" cross-border money flows.

Therefore, in the financial sector, it is necessary to reduce the increased speculative demand that has arisen, among other things, due to the activity of buyers from outside.

The day before yesterday, I signed a special decree that imposes restrictions on the export of currency abroad.

Large institutional players should purchase foreign currency only as part of the fulfillment of their contractual obligations, ensuring its supply.

It is necessary to work out the issue of increasing sales of export foreign exchange earnings by companies with state participation. I expect that private subsoil users will also ensure the sale of their foreign exchange earnings.

As part of the fulfillment of their contractual obligations, second-tier banks must monitor and monitor the purchase of currency by their customers.

Strict monitoring of compliance with this requirement by banks should be established.

Speculation in the markets should in no way cause unjustified "burning" of our reserves.

The Government, the National Bank, the Agency for the Development and Regulation of the Financial Market need to take decisive measures in this direction. In general, extraordinary solutions are needed.

In the current extremely unstable international situation, ensuring the country's food security is of great importance.

The events in Ukraine have led to a sharp jump in food prices. It is likely that they may soon break all absolute records.

Against this background, a high-quality sowing campaign comes to the fore. However, as far as I know, many farmers are not ready for sowing yet.

The government and akimats need to take this work under special control. It is necessary to provide farmers with the necessary amount of fuel and lubricants at reasonable prices.

It is necessary to double-check the readiness of agricultural machinery, stocks of seeds and fertilizers.

We must not forget that low rainfall in some regions can negatively affect yields, lead to a shortage of feed.

In general, it is necessary, together with the farming community, to reconsider approaches to state support of the agro-industrial complex.

In order to prevent shortages and uncontrolled rise in food prices, it is necessary to work out the issue of purchasing agricultural products to state stabilization funds at forward prices.

In rapidly changing conditions, the state apparatus must respond promptly to the situation and act in an extremely coordinated manner.

Unhurried style of decision-making, bureaucratic formalism are unacceptable here.

Now it is necessary to fully mobilize. Decisions should be made quickly, based on real requests from businesses and citizens, within a maximum of three days, and preferably within a day.

The Operational Headquarters created under the Government should simultaneously work as a Situation Center that analyzes information in real time, as well as the development of specific emergency measures.

At the systemic level, it is necessary to eradicate excessive bureaucratization, which seriously hinders the development of the country. Its scale is so large that many state structures see this as the essence of their existence.

In the near future, I will sign a decree on the de-bureaucratization of the activities of the state apparatus. It will be the starting point for a radical revision of internal procedures in state bodies, optimization of normative and budgetary processes.

In addition, it is urgent to start developing a new package of structural reforms in the economy and public administration, taking into account the strategy of political modernization.

The foundation of the New Kazakhstan should be based on a harmonious combination of political and economic reforms.

This will ensure the progressive progress of our country and increase the standard of living of citizens.

Dear compatriots!

The initiatives I have presented today are large-scale. They will significantly change the political system and administrative-territorial structure of the country.

To implement them, it will be necessary to amend more than 30 articles of the Constitution. In addition, more than 20 laws will need to be adopted by the end of the year.

Legislative work is a complex and lengthy process that needs to be approached very responsibly.

We must take into account all internal and external challenges.

During the years of Independence, we have gone through all the difficulties with dignity and achieved great success.

The beginning of the cardinal transformation of the country coincided with the crisis that broke out in the world.

It is obvious that the current international situation has an impact on Kazakhstan.

However, no matter how difficult times may be, we will firmly follow our course.

Having learned the lessons of the past, we are confidently moving towards the future.

On this path, first of all, we need unity, cold reason and patience, wisdom and endurance.

We must carefully weigh every decision, take every case seriously.

A nation with a high patriotic spirit will achieve all its goals.

Our mission is to build a New Kazakhstan.

What does it mean?

The new Kazakhstan is an image of the future of our sovereign country.

People who do not believe in the future will not be able to build a strong state. There are enough examples of this from history.

We are firm in our intentions and confident in the bright future of Kazakhstan.

We will ensure that the constitutional rights of every citizen are respected.

We will form a new political culture based on mutual respect and trust between the state and society.

Important decisions will be made openly, with the participation of citizens, because the state will listen to everyone's voice.

Conscientious work, progressive knowledge and best practices will always be highly appreciated by us.

I want to see the New Kazakhstan as such a country.

To achieve our goals, the renewal of the state apparatus or personnel changes are not enough. Everyone should start changes with themselves. We need to reset the system of individual and social values.

This is not an easy process that takes years. Awareness of high responsibility, trust and attention to each other, love for our country will help us in this matter.

We need to understand that no one from the outside will do anything for us. Everything is in our hands.

Let's build a New Kazakhstan together.

In preparation for the fire season of 2022 in the Kokshetau aviation department of the "Kazavialesoohrana", the personnel of the airborne fire service undergo theoretical training in special disciplines, such as:
1. Rules for the implementation of aviation works for the protection and protection of the forest fund;
2. Amphibious training;
3. Forest fire equipment and mechanisms;
4. Communication and information;
5. Forest protection and forest fire extinguishing;
6. Occupational health and safety.

Additionally, on the territory of the aviation department, the office building and other premises are cleared of snow, the aviation department is de-mothballed, fire extinguishing equipment, communications and camp property are checked and prepared. In particular, personnel are being trained to pass standards for physical training and classes on practicing exercises for extinguishing forest fires with the deployment of fire extinguishing equipment.

In preparation for the fire season of 2022, in the Ust-Kamenogorsk aviation department of the "Kazavialesoohrana", the personnel of the airborne fire service undergo theoretical training in special disciplines, such as:
1. Rules for the implementation of aviation works for the protection and protection of the forest fund;
2. Amphibious training;
3. Forest fire equipment and mechanisms;
4. Communication and information;
5. Forest protection and forest fire extinguishing;
6. Occupational health and safety.

Additionally, on the territory of the aviation department, the office building and other premises are cleared of snow, the aviation department is de-mothballed, fire extinguishing equipment, communications and camp property are checked and prepared. In particular, personnel are being trained to pass standards for physical training and classes on practicing exercises for extinguishing forest fires with the deployment of fire extinguishing equipment.

Saiga

Saiga, or saiga is a genus of mammalian animals that belongs to the order artiodactyls, the family of polorogi, the subfamily of true antelopes. Saiga refers to unique animals that have preserved their appearance unchanged since the time when herds of mammoths roamed the surface of the Earth. Therefore, the appearance of this artiodactyl is distinguished by a peculiar individuality, thanks to which it cannot be confused with any other mammal. They live in the steppes and semi-deserts of Kazakhstan, as well as on the territory of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.

Appearance

The animal has a small size and a dense build. The body of the saiga is 110-140 cm in length, 60-80 cm in height. It weighs 23-55 kg. The parameters of the females are slightly smaller. The trunk of mammals of both sexes is elongated, the legs are slender and short. There is a tail about 10 cm long and rounded ears.

A unique and characteristic part of the body for saigas is their nose. It is a movable soft proboscis. At its end are large, closely spaced nostrils. They resemble a heart. This shape of the nose helped the saiga to adapt to different conditions of the seasons. In winter, the inhaled air warms up well before entering the lungs. In summer, the nose works as a filter, purifying the air from steppe dust.

Males significantly outnumber females in weight and size. The head of males is decorated with long (on average 30 cm) and almost vertical horns of yellowish-white color with dark tips. They are translucent, slightly curved and have an irregular lyre-shaped shape. Convex transverse rings are located almost along the entire length of the horns. Females have no horns.

The fur of the saiga is sandy-red on the back and white on the belly. During the autumn molt, it becomes completely light for camouflage on the snow cover. Winter fur is taller and thicker. In the spring, it becomes rare again and turns red. This shade makes animals less noticeable against the background of steppe soils.

Behavior and nutrition

Saigas lead a nomadic lifestyle, while they gather in large herds, at the head of each herd is a leader. They leave for the deserts when the snow begins to fall, and return to the steppes with the first warm days.

The animal can perfectly adapt to both drought and cold. In general, they adapt quickly enough to new conditions for themselves, they can be on a meager diet and a small amount of water for a long time.

Herds of saiga move at a fairly high speed, weakened and sick individuals cannot keep a high pace of movement, so they often lag behind and die from the teeth of predators.

In case of danger, saigas easily gain high speed, which can reach 80 km / h.

Saigas can swim, in the process of migrations, they can cross even a deep pond or river without much difficulty.

Saigas are herbivorous animals, their diet includes more than 100 different plants. Depending on the habitat and time of year, their diet varies greatly. In spring, saigas prefer to eat: licorice, kermek, tipchak, wheatgrass, ephedra and wormwood. they satisfy their need for liquid by eating wildflowers: irises and tulips, which contain a significant amount of water.

In summer, solyanka, quinoa and some other herbs are added to their diet. In summer, grass in the steppe contains an insufficient amount of water for saigas, so they have to travel quite long distances in order to get the necessary amount of nutritious food and find reservoirs with drinkable water. Many plants that can be dangerous for humans, these animals calmly eat without suffering from poisoning.

In winter, saigas often eat lichens and cereals. If strong winds come, then these artiodactyls can starve for quite a long time, hiding from the weather or switch to coarser food, for example, reeds.

Saigas need from 3 to 6 kilograms of feed per day, so saigas are forced to constantly move, while they even feed on the move.

With the onset of cold weather, the leaders of various groups of animals often enter into fights, which can often end in death. The nomadic lifestyle also affects population movements. The pace of movement and its range is set by a strong leader. Not all individuals of the herd can match it. Therefore, many animals do not reach their destination, dying on the way.

Animals are highly adaptable to environmental conditions. They are able to survive in regions with a small amount of food and water and in such conditions they are able to exist for quite a long time. When danger approaches, they run away with the whole herd. Sick and weakened animals lag behind the herd and most often die from the attack of predators.

Animals are naturally excellent swimmers, thanks to which they are able to overcome small and medium-sized reservoirs without any problems. By nature, animals are endowed with excellent hearing, which allows them to distinguish extraneous, dangerous noises at a distance of up to several kilometers. In addition to excellent hearing, animals have a keen sense of smell, which allows them to sense changes in weather conditions, the approach of rain or snow.

Reproduction and life expectancy

The life expectancy of animals is quite low, and directly depends on gender. Males in natural conditions live no more than four to five years, the life expectancy of females reaches 10-11 years.

By nature, saigas are polygamous animals. The mating season is characterized by seasonality and lasts from November to early January. This period depends on the region of habitat. On the territory of Kazakhstan, the mating period lasts March - April. The mating period of animals lasts from 10 to 25 days. Each sexually mature forms a harem for himself, beating off from five to ten females, which are protected by male individuals from the encroachments of extraneous males.

The formed harem exists on a certain territory, with an area of 30-80 square meters. During this period, males become aggressive, often fighting for the right to enter into marital relations with one or another female. Such battles often end with severe injuries and death.

During sexual relations in males, a specific secret is secreted from the subcutaneous and abdominal skin gland. Mating most often occurs at night, during the daytime males most often rest and gain strength. It is during this period that males eat little, strength and body weight are lost. At this time, cases of saiga attacks on people were registered.

Females reach sexual maturity by the eighth month of life, males only after a year. Pregnancy lasts an average of five months. The females, who are to give birth to cubs, accumulate in one place, mainly on flat terrain with sparse, low vegetation. The body weight of a newborn cub is 3-3.5 kilograms.

During the first day, the babies lie almost motionless. After the birth of the babies, the mother goes in search of food and water, but several times a day she comes to visit her cub. Newborns grow up quite quickly and get stronger, already on the sixth or seventh day they are able to follow their mother.

Enemies

Saigas are animals that prefer to get their food during the day, so they are very vulnerable at this time of day. The main enemy can be called a wolf, from which animals can only escape by flight. Having found a large herd that was not ready for an attack, wolves can destroy up to twenty-five percent of it.

However, such natural selection is sometimes even useful. Predators can only catch up with a weak or sick individual, this allows the herd to keep only physically strong and healthy representatives in its ranks. Dogs, foxes and other animals that can catch up with the herd are also dangerous.

Cubs are the most difficult, they do not yet have the strength and speed of an adult, and saigas cannot always protect them, therefore they die more often. Not only wolves are dangerous for them, but also ferrets and even eagles.

The enemy of saigas is also a man. Expanding their borders, people take food places from animals, thereby depriving them of the most valuable thing — food. Hunting and poaching also significantly reduce the population.

Saigas are very interesting animals, possessing not only a memorable appearance, but also capable of a lot. They can survive in severe frost, go without food and water for a long time, wander in extreme heat, and walk about two hundred kilometers per day. This is perhaps the only animal on Earth that, according to Buddhist beliefs, even has its own deity who protects them.

But even such a unique beast could not escape human extermination. This species may disappear and it will be entirely our fault. Before it's too late, it's worth thinking about what kind of animal heritage we will leave to our descendants and whether there will be a saiga among them. There is still an opportunity to correct the situation and make sure that these creatures, as before, graze freely in the steppes and on the plains of the Earth.