Kazakhstan
News Bulletin
Released weekly by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
April 22, 2004 Vol. 1, No. 18
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Special Edition
Kazakhstan’s Democracy Strengthens
Nazarbayev Signs Election Law, But Rejects News Media Bill
A pair of landmark events just took place in Kazakhstan, as President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a new election law while rejecting a bill regulating the news media, confirming Kazakhstan’s commitment to democracy.
President Nazarbayev signed an election law on April 15 introducing reforms unprecedented in Kazakhstan and the entire region. The reforms take into account the best international standards in elections. The signing took place after several years of dramatic public debates among political parties and non-governmental organizations. Participants in the discussions included international groups such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute.
The presidential press office said: “The law is directed at further improvement of the election system, strengthening the guarantees ensuring electoral rights, transparency of the election process and the independence of election commissions.”
Under the new law, election commissions will be created by local assemblies based on proposals from political parties. Representatives of candidates, political parties and international organizations will be able to observe the entire process, from the beginning of campaign to the end of vote count. Among other innovations are the introduction of transparent ballot boxes, and a provision for future introduction of electronic voting.
The law establishes a new framework for people to freely express their political opinions in the parliamentary election in 2004 and the presidential one in 2006, and on into the future. Nine political parties of different views are already engaged in intense political fighting.
Against this backdrop, President Nazarbayev refused to sign a news media bill on April 22. The bill had drawn a great deal of criticism both within Kazakhstan and from abroad for its potential damage to the growing freedom of speech.
When independence came in 1991, there were only a handful of news media outlets in Kazakhstan, all controlled by a single party, the Communists. Today more than 2,000 independent news media work throughout the country.
Given the impact of both bills on the future of democracy in Kazakhstan, President Nazarbayev had sent them to the Constitutional Council for review. The Council voted the election bill constitutional, but the news media bill was found unconstitutional.
President Nazarbayev, commenting on his decision to reject the news media bill at the Eurasian Media Forum in Almaty on April 22, said: “Taking into account the legal side of the situation and the opinions of the public and journalists I decided not to object to the ruling of the Constitutional Council. Therefore, the new news media bill will not be adopted. Completely opposing opinions of the bill had been raised. I believe this is a major sign of democracy in our society.”
Tamara Kaleeva, chairperson of Adil Soz (The Just Word), one of the largest associations of journalists in Kazakhstan, speaking at a news conference during the forum, said: “By agreeing with the Constitutional Council on the news media bill, the President of Kazakhstan made a crucial step for the fate of the entire journalistic community, democracy and freedom of speech in Kazakhstan.” The decision of the President came as a result of “not just months, but almost two years of fighting against this bill by all journalistic organizations in Kazakhstan.”
Richard Boucher, U.S. State Department spokesman, said on April 22: “The United States welcomes President Nazarbayev’s statement on April 22 that the proposed law on mass media passed by the Parliament will not be enacted… The United States hopes this is a signal of broad opening for free media to play their essential role in the development of democracy in Kazakhstan, including during the upcoming 2004 elections for Parliament.”
These two events are yet another sign that Kazakhstan has been moving steadily toward greater democracy and should strengthen Kazakhstan’s bid to chair the OSCE in 2009.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, in a letter to President Nazarbayev last year, wrote: “The United States welcomes the aspirations of Kazakhstan to become the first nation of the former Soviet Union to assume the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2009… It is clear that any state wishing to assume the chairmanship must demonstrate that it can conduct free and fair elections for its national leadership.”
The recent decisions by President Nazarbayev demonstrate Kazakhstan’s wholehearted acceptance of the challenge.
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News Bulletin of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the USA and Canada
(Compiled from own sources and agency reports)
Contact person: Roman Vassilenko
1401 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20036
Tel.: (202) 232- 5488 ext. 104, Fax: (202) 232- 5845
