About: Kazakhstan
Kazakh human rights reforms signal modernisation but EU lawmakers doubtful
Current human rights-related reforms in Kazakhstan are a step in the right direction, stakeholders from the country told a recent EURACTIV event but European Parliament lawmakers across the political spectrum were not entirely convinced.
Human Rights in Kazakhstan – The road ahead
In June 2021, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree “On further measures of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of human rights”, which he said represents an important step in the political modernisation of the Central Asian country....
Tajikistan calls up reservists to bolster border as Afghan troops flee Taliban
Tajikistan's president on Monday (5 July) ordered the mobilisation of 20,000 military reservists to bolster the border with Afghanistan after more than 1,000 Afghan security personnel fled across the frontier in response to Taliban militant advances.
Police reform in Kazakhstan: Effective law-enforcement close to the population
The reform of the law enforcement system has started in Kazakhstan recently as part of the overall modernisation of the country and the first evaluation of the results achieved look very optimistic, writes Yerlan Turgumbayev.
Presidential envoy: For Kazakhstan, the EU is a neighbor
In a wide-ranging interview, Yerzhan Kazykhan, special representative of the president of Kazakhstan for international cooperation, discussed the state of play of the Central Asian country's relations with the EU, its international initiatives and new projects, such as joining the EU’s battery alliance.
Kazakh independent expert: Human rights NGOs enjoy more influence
A lot has change over the last years in Kazakhstan in terms of human rights, but more work is outstanding, independent expert Nazgul Yergalieva told EURACTIV in an interview, describing how the authorities in the central Asian country are now cooperating with NGOs in improving human rights protection.
Kazakhstan says it has upper hand in multi-billion legal case
Legal representatives for the government of Kazakhstan have told EURACTIV they believe the Central Asian country has gained the upper hand in a long-running legal battle surrounding what they called "one of the biggest frauds in the history of international arbitration".
Kazakhstan announces new efforts to improve human rights record
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree “On further measures of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of human rights”, which he said represents an important step in the political modernisation of the Central Asian country.
Kazakhstan rebuffs talk of joint sanctions response with Russia
Kazakhstan on Saturday (5 June) dismissed a senior Russian official's idea of a joint response to Western sanctions against Moscow and its allies such as Belarus by a Russia-led post-Soviet trade bloc.
Kazakhstan’s Ombudsman: Parliamentary lobbying must be healthy and legal
Before the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Kazakhstan in February, there was no comprehensive dialogue at the decision-making level and no complete analysis of the EU lawmakers' sources of information, Elvira Azimova, Kazakhstan's commissioner for human rights, told EURACTIV in an interview.
Analyst: Central Asian ‘patient’ is ready for deeper cooperation
Even though unresolved border disputes stand in the way of further economic integration of Central Asia, this vast region is ready to deepen ties, according to Askar Nursha.
EU prioritises climate, connectivity, regional cooperation in its Kazakhstan relations
Ahead of the EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council on 10 May, EURACTIV spoke to an EU official to gather information about the EU's expectations for the cooperation with Kazakhstan and with Central Asia in the years to come.
Kazakhstan is eager to share its model for interethnic accord
The experience and policy of Kazakhstan in the field of maintaining interethnic peace and harmony is of genuine interest to international organizations and states, writes Aiman Zhussupova.
Kazakhstan launches QazVac, its own COVID-19 vaccine
Kazakhstan has joined the select number of countries that have produced and made available their own COVID-19 vaccine, as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev tweeted on Friday (23 April) that the first batch of QazVac vaccine had been despatched to several regions of the country.
Controversial lobbyists raise eyebrows in Strasbourg
A non-profit group has been raising eyebrows in the Council of Europe for its questionable lobbying activities, a British lawmaker told EURACTIV.
‘Clumsy’ resolution risks alienating EU from Kazakhstan, MEP says
The European Parliament's recent resolution on Kazakhstan is "clumsy" and detrimental both for the bilateral relations and the credibility of the EU, Bulgarian MEP Ivo Hristov (S&D) told EURACTIV on Wednesday (3 March).
Fugitive kleptocrat supports protest in Kazakhstan
Police in Kazakhstan detained dozens of protesters on Sunday (28 February) who were calling for the release of political prisoners in line with a resolution passed by the European Parliament.
The EU should maintain the Energy Charter Treaty
There are fundamental good reasons to continue protecting the investments covered by the Energy Charter Treaty as private investment will be crucial for the vast infrastructure overhauls needed to shift towards renewable energy, writes Dr Frank Umbach.OpinionStakeholder Opinion
Kazakhstan’s economy: Short-term recovery and long-term structural transformation
Two key speeches by President Tokayev in January revealed important clues as to the direction Kazakhstan will take this and the coming years on the political, economic and social fronts. Alberto Turkstra has had a deeper look.
Kazakhstan repatriates ‘foreign fighters’ from Syria
Kazakhstan has repatriated another group of its nationals who have been in Syria alongside terrorist forces. Unlike some EU countries that are reluctant to take back their nationals, Kazakhstan is making the effort to re-integrate them, but also punish those guilty of terrorism.
Step-by-step democratisation serves Kazakhstan well
Step-by-step democratisation has suited Kazakhstan’s national circumstances and interests well, writes Alberto Turkstra who visited Kazakhstan on the occasion of the 10 January parliamentary elections.
Kazakhstan holds parliamentary elections
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree scheduling the parliamentary elections for the Majilis for 10 January 2021. The elections are seen as another step in the process of “controlled democratisation” of the former Soviet republic.
International observers to monitor Kazakhstan election despite COVID challenge
The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan has completed the accreditation of observers of international organisations and foreign states for the 10 January elections, media in the Central Asian nation reported.