Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev promised to remain president for
as long as the people and his health allow him to, RIA Novosti
reports.
Nazarbayev became the president in 1990, his current presidential
terms expire in 2012.
The Central Electoral Committee (CEC) of Kazakhstan registered an
initiative group on December 27, 2010 to organize a referendum on
expanding the presidential terms until December 6, 2020.
Nazarbayev noted that over 5 million signatures, approximately two
thirds of the voters, support the referendum.
Editor-in-Chief of Vestnik Kavkaza Alexey Vlasov said the president
did not give a direct answer on the referendum in his letter, but put
the responsibility on making the final decision on the Constitutional
Court. "The decision will most likely be made before the next meeting
of the ruling Nur Otan party, on February 11," he said.
Vlasov believes that there is chance that the president will hold
elections and reject the referendum. Kazakhstan may hold presidential
and parliamentary elections in autumn 2011. The final decision is up
to Nazarbayev and it does not seem to have been made.
In his message to the public Nazarbayev said that Astana will fulfill
all the international obligations it took up. Kazakhstan is devoted to
the development of the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus
and will continue improving cooperation with the CIS.
The president added that they are proposing European partners to
develop and adopt a Kazakh-EU energy charter until 2020. The document
will guarantee stability of energy supplies for the European markets
and allow Kazakhstan to develop pipeline systems.
The Kazakh parliament proposed amendments to the Constitution to
prolong the presidential terms via a referendum. Nazarbayev declined
the referendum. However, the deputies overcame the president's veto
and passed the amendments. Nazarbayev did not sign the amendments and
passed them to the Constitutional Court.
The court considered the views of officials from the parliament,
Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, Prosecutor General's Office,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CEC, non-government organizations,
experts. It has not decided on the issue yet.
