Kazakh MPs override president`s veto on referendum

ASTANA, January 14 (Itar-Tass) - Kazakhstan's parliament has
overridden President Nursultan Nazarbayev's veto on the holding of a
referendum on the extension of his presidential powers, and fixed in the
Constitution his status as that of Leader of the Nation.
On Friday, the legislative body of the country approved the first
reading of the law on the introduction of amendments to the Constitution
of the Republic of Kazakhstan envisaging the holding of a referendum on
the extension of powers of incumbent head of state Nursultan Nazarbayev.
All 44 deputies of the upper chamber and 106 deputies the lower
chamber voted for the approval of the bill under the first reading.
The chairman of the Kazakh Central Election Commission, Kuandyk
Turgankulov, told reporters that now the president must either sign
constitutional amendments or send them for a referendum.
Nursultan Nazarbayev has been in power for more than 20 years. At a
referendum in 1995, his term of office was extended till the end of 1999.
At the presidential election of 2012, Nazarbayev planned to run for Kazakh
presidency again.
-0-zhe/gor