Vice president post to be introduced in Kazakhstan

A new position of vice president of the republic will be introduced in Kazakhstan. At the same time, the post of state adviser will be abolished. This was announced today, January 20, by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his address at the fifth session of the National Qurultoy held in Kyzylorda.

“There is a saying among the people that everything has its time. I believe that this time has now come. Today, at the final session of the National Qurultoy, I would like to put forward a new and important proposal. The initiative I am proposing will logically complete the entire political framework that has been consistently taking shape over several years.

I am referring to the establishment of the institution of the vice president of the Republic of Kazakhstan and its appropriate закрепление in the Constitution. The vice president will be appointed by the president with the consent of parliament and by a majority vote. The scope of the vice president’s powers will be determined by the head of state,” Tokayev said.

According to the proposal, the vice president, upon the president’s instructions, will represent Kazakhstan’s interests in negotiations at international forums and with foreign delegations, present the president’s interests in parliament, cooperate with domestic and foreign socio-political, scientific, and cultural-educational organizations, and carry out other assignments of the president.

Tokayev also emphasized that these key provisions regarding the vice president’s official powers should be reflected in the text of the Constitution.

In addition, a number of administrative structures currently supporting the functioning of parliament, as well as the post of state adviser, are set to be abolished.

For reference, Kazakhstan had a vice president post in the 1990s. The position was abolished in 1996 by Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan’s parliament may be renamed “Qurultoy.”