An initiative group will request Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev to
approve a referendum on the prolongation of presidential terms until
late 2020, Yerlan Sydykov, leader of the initiative group and head of
the Semipalatinsk State University, said at a briefing on Wednesday,
KazTAG reports.
The request was read out by a senate deputy Anatoly Bashmakov.
The initiative group requested the parliament to consider introducing
amendments to the Constitution of Kazakhstan to prolong the
presidential terms.
Sydykhov said that the request will be presented to the president on Wednesday.
The initiative group filed over 5 million signatures of civilians to
the Central Electoral Commission.
According to article 17 of the Kazakh Constitution, the referendum
needs the president's approval.
The request to hold a referendum was registered at the parliament on
January 6. The president declined the request. The president's veto
can be overcome with four fifths of votes of both chambers.
The parliament will have a session on January 14 where it plans to
consider the referendum.
Presidential elections in Kazakhstan are due to be held in 2012.
