About: Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan president calls for constitutional referendum, warns against ‘provocateurs’
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has announced a national referendum on his proposed amendments to the county’s constitution and warned against what he described as “provocateurs who are trying to undermine the unity in the country”.
Kazakh official: We will not risk being placed in the same basket as Russia
In a wide-ranging interview, Timur Suleimenov, the First Deputy Chief of Staff to the President of Kazakhstan, discussed the war in Ukraine, the impact on his country of the Western sanctions, the drive for modernization following the January unrest in his country and the changing geopolitical balances.
Kazakh President lays out constitutional reforms following January unrest
Constitutional reforms to limit the powers of the president's office have been announced by Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who says the country needs to switch from "superpresidential" rule to a presidential republic with a strong parliament.
Kazakhstan undergoes changes comparable to ‘Perestroika’
The events of January bring to a close the two-year Kazakh duumvirate with former President Nazarbayev, paving the way to a political system firmly united around President Tokayev, perceived as a reformist, writes Alberto Turkstra.
Kazakhstan takes distance from Russia’s Ukraine war
Kazakhstan, one of Russia's closest allies, has denied a request for its troops to join the offensive in Ukraine and will not recognise the so-called republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.OpinionStakeholder Opinion
European Parliament resolution following Kazakhstan’s ‘tragic January’ is disappointing
It was deeply disappointing that the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the tragic events in Kazakhstan in the first days of January, which did not reflect the real situation on the ground, writes Erzhan Kazykhan.
Kazakh ombudsman looks into reported police violence against protesters
Kazakhstan’s Commissioner for Human Rights Elvira Azimova told EURACTIV on Wednesday (2 February) that her office takes seriously the reports that some of the people arrested following the protest in early January had been tortured and that testimonies had been extracted under duress.
Kazakh leader rejects international probe into deadly unrest
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Saturday (29 January) rejected calls for an international probe into a bloody crisis in the ex-Soviet country and said he had no plans to change the constitution to extend his rule.
Mysterious power blackout hits Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
The central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan suffered electrical power outages in major cities on Tuesday (25 January), according to authorities and residents, after a major power line in Kazakhstan was disconnected.
Russia proposes ban on use and mining of cryptocurrencies on its territory
Russia's central bank on Thursday (20 January) proposed banning the use and mining of cryptocurrencies on Russian territory, citing threats to financial stability, citizens' wellbeing and its monetary policy sovereignty.
Fallout from Kazakh unrest must not undermine decades of progress
It is crucial that after the unrest, president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev now prioritize the safeguarding of the country’s reputation as a stable country, responsible international partner, and attractive investment destination, writes Matthew Bryza.
Kazakhstan security forces on high alert in Almaty amid calls for fresh protests
Security forces blocked several downtown streets and cordoned off one of the squares in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty on Wednesday (19 January) as an opposition group planned to stage protests, a Reuters correspondent reported from the scene.
Kazakh FM: We had no choice but to call the Russian troops
Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi said on Tuesday (18 January) the situation in his country was normalising, following the unrest that shook it in the first days of the new year, and Russian troops, which he said helped prevent a possible coup d'etat, were withdrawing.
After the protests, what debt will Kazakhstan’s leaders owe Russia?
What seems obvious after the recent protests is that Kazakhstan might become even more reliant on Russia, demonstrating a diminished ability to balance the influence of Washington and Moscow, writes Aigerim Toleukhanova.
Kazakhstan’s unrest explained and the foreign defence ministers meet in Brest
This week our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on Kazakhstan, the demonstrations that caused significant unrest across the country, Russia’s involvement, and possible measures coming from the EU.
Russia-led bloc starts pulling troops out of Kazakhstan
A Russia-led military bloc began pulling its troops out of Kazakhstan on Thursday (13 January) after a week-long deployment during the worst bout of unrest in the Central Asian nation's post-Soviet history.
Insider’s account: The Kazakhstan unrest
A trusted EURACTIV source in Almaty gave a rare first-hand account of the Kazakhstan unrest that shook up the Central Asian country in the first days of 2022.
Kazakh president fires rare criticism at predecessor after unrest
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev issued rare criticism of his long-ruling predecessor Tuesday (11 January), and said he expected Russian-led forces to leave the troubled Central Asian country in the next 10 days.
Russia-led troops to start leaving Kazakhstan
A Russia-led military bloc will begin withdrawing its troops from Kazakhstan in two days' time after fulfilling its main mission of stabilising the Central Asian country after serious unrest, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Tuesday (11 January).
EU ministers to consider measures over Kazakh crackdown
EU foreign ministers will this week discuss possible measures to respond to the crackdown against anti-government protests in Kazakhstan over the past week, a French minister said on Sunday (9 January).
Geopolitics looms large at French presidency launch
The unrest in Kazakhstan, the tensions around Ukraine and the need to have a credible European policy vis-à-vis Russia dominated the high point of the inauguration of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Kazakh president says gave order to ‘open fire with lethal force’ amid continued unrest
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said he has personally ordered security forces to “open fire with lethal force” against protestors amid a violent uprising currently gripping the Central-Asian country.
EU asks Russia to respect Kazakhstan’s sovereignty amid violent uprising
Russia must respect the sovereignty of Kazakhstan, said the EU, reacting to the deployment of Russian military forces to quell an uprising after deadly violence spread across the former Soviet republic.