Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 24 / Trend E. Kosolapova /
No major changes are expected in the new Kazakh government's activity, Kazakh Alternative Research Center Director Andrei Chebotarev said today.
"There will not be any significant changes in the government's activity," he told Trend over phone. "There are some purposes of the president. The government will focus on them."
Earlier, Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov resigned. His resignation was accepted by the president. According to a presidential decree, the Kazakh government will fulfill its obligations till the staff of the new Cabinet of Ministers is approved.
Chebotarev added that holding thesocial modernization and the continued implementation of economic programs, particularly industrialization will be the main task of the new government.
The expert believes that political reshuffle is connected with the necessity of creating a qualitatively new balance of forces within the ruling elite.
"A significant imbalance connected with increasing influence of Musin and Massimov was observed before head of Presidential Administration Aslan Musin changed his position," he added.
Chebotarev believes the new foreign minister, interior minister and defense minister may be appointed in the near future.
"In particular, interior minister, who is greatly responsible for last year's events in Zhanaozen, may be changed," Chebotarev said.
Riots hit the Kazakh oil city of Zhanaozen in Mangystau region on Dec.16. According to the Kazakh General Attorney Office, 14 people were killed as a result and over 80 injured. Buildings and cars were burned and the property of individuals and institutions destroyed.