Kazakhstan, Astana, Feb. 1 /Trend, A.Maratov/
The decision on pre-term presidential elections in Kazakhstan is the best option for the citizens and the West, said Kazakh political analyst Aidos Sarym.
Nursultan Nazarbayev on Monday decided not to hold a referendum to extend presidential term until 2020 and offered to conduct pre-term elections this year, thereby reducing his presidential term by two years.
"I think that under the set of opportunities that preceded the appeal of the President, the decision on pre-term elections is the best option," Aidos Sarym told Trend in Astana.
According to him, in this case, the opinion of supporters of the referendum - five million Kazakhs - and the position of the West, who called to abandon the idea, was taken into account.
The West has repeatedly expressed concern about the decision to abandon democratic procedure of presidential elections in Kazakhstan. U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan twice published statements calling upon Astana to comply with commitments before the international community. Also at the meeting with the Kazakh Foreign Minister in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear that the United States does not welcome the idea of a referendum.
"It would be logical if a similar decision would be made by the Parliament and conducting pre-term parliamentary elections would be announced, with the help of which, it needs to form two-party parliament. It is necessary for the further development of Kazakhstan," he said.
Sarym believes that it is not just about supporting the president, but also about shaping public pool. "President's statement just showed who is a true politician in the country," he said.
70-year-old Nursultan Nazarbayev has been in power for over 20 years. According to polls, Nazarbayev enjoys the support of 90 percent of the population. Last year he was awarded the status of "Leader of the Nation".
Massive campaign to collect signatures in support of the referendum, instead of the presidential elections, was unfolded in Kazakhstan in recent weeks of the last and in the first weeks of this year. For just a few weeks, the initiative group collected more than five million signatures out of the minimum required 200,000 in support of the referendum.
The initiative was supported by all major state agencies, as well as commercial and public organizations. However, Nazarbayev himself has refused to sign amendments to the Constitution by sending them to the discussion of the Constitutional Council, which recognized the referendum legally incorrect and contrary to the foundations of democracy.