ID :
158758
Wed, 02/02/2011 - 17:10
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/158758
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Kazakh parliament to consider bill on early presidential election
ASTANA, February 2 (Itar-Tass) - The Kazakh parliament will consider
on Wednesday the bill regulating the holding of an early presidential
election. President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Monday sent the bill to the parliament after initiating an early election in his address to the nation.
The next election in Kazakhstan was due in 2012. However, at the end of last year, a group of citizens came out with the initiative to hold a referendum on extending the incumbent president's term in office till 2010. Over five million people supported the initiative.
Parliamentarians passed amendments to the Constitution, which make it possible to hold such a referendum and extend Nazarbayev's term in office.
However, the president did not sign that, and sent them to the
Constitutional Council to check whether they go in line with the
Constitution. The Constitutional Council recognized these amendments
unconstitutional.
According to the legislation, the president has the right to object to the decision of the Constitutional Council, but he did not use that right.
"Thus a difficult situation has emerged, when I, as head of state,
must personally assume the burden of historical responsibility and decide on the fate of the referendum," Nazarbayev said.
He said that on the one side, he cannot disregard the initiative of the overwhelming majority of electors, but on the other hand, as president and guarantor of the Constitution, he cannot create a precedent which will set wrong guidelines for future generations of politicians.
He offered to consider the situation as "an historical lesson of
democracy taught by life itself, the lesson that tests the president and the people as to their loyalty to the Constitution".
"As the first democratically elected president, and guided solely by
supreme national interests, I have made a decision not to hold the
referendum. Instead of the choice dividing our society - either a
referendum or an election, I offer the form that will unite us - an early presidential election," Nazarbayev said.
The president stressed that he was making that decision despite the fact that it would cut his term in office by almost two years.
Kazakh opposition has already stated its readiness to nominate the
candidate who will oppose Nazarbayev at the early election. Nazarbayev, 70, has already been in power in Kazakhstan for more than 20 years.
on Wednesday the bill regulating the holding of an early presidential
election. President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Monday sent the bill to the parliament after initiating an early election in his address to the nation.
The next election in Kazakhstan was due in 2012. However, at the end of last year, a group of citizens came out with the initiative to hold a referendum on extending the incumbent president's term in office till 2010. Over five million people supported the initiative.
Parliamentarians passed amendments to the Constitution, which make it possible to hold such a referendum and extend Nazarbayev's term in office.
However, the president did not sign that, and sent them to the
Constitutional Council to check whether they go in line with the
Constitution. The Constitutional Council recognized these amendments
unconstitutional.
According to the legislation, the president has the right to object to the decision of the Constitutional Council, but he did not use that right.
"Thus a difficult situation has emerged, when I, as head of state,
must personally assume the burden of historical responsibility and decide on the fate of the referendum," Nazarbayev said.
He said that on the one side, he cannot disregard the initiative of the overwhelming majority of electors, but on the other hand, as president and guarantor of the Constitution, he cannot create a precedent which will set wrong guidelines for future generations of politicians.
He offered to consider the situation as "an historical lesson of
democracy taught by life itself, the lesson that tests the president and the people as to their loyalty to the Constitution".
"As the first democratically elected president, and guided solely by
supreme national interests, I have made a decision not to hold the
referendum. Instead of the choice dividing our society - either a
referendum or an election, I offer the form that will unite us - an early presidential election," Nazarbayev said.
The president stressed that he was making that decision despite the fact that it would cut his term in office by almost two years.
Kazakh opposition has already stated its readiness to nominate the
candidate who will oppose Nazarbayev at the early election. Nazarbayev, 70, has already been in power in Kazakhstan for more than 20 years.
