Adoption of Constitution was a pivotal moment in our history - President of Kazakh Academy of Sciences
Murat Zhurinov is Doctor of Chemistry, professor, President of the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan, laureate of the RK State Prize for the achievements in science, technique and education. He is also a member of several international academies of sciences, outside advisor to the Kazakh Prime Minister, member of the National Council under the Kazakh President, Supreme Scientific-Technical Commission under the Kazakh Government, Vice President of the Association of the Science Academies of the OIC member-states, member of the Kazakhstan National Commission for UNESCO affairs and Editor-in-Chief of the journal "Reports of the Kazakhstan Academy of Science".
Mr. Zhurinov, the Constitution Day of Kazakhstan is one of the main holidays of the country. What was the role of this document in formation of an effective public administration, in ensuring stability, freedom and democracy in Kazakhstan? What change did the amendments introduced in 2007 make?
Undoubtedly, the Constitution which was adopted fourteen years ago at all-people's referendum fixed the fundamental principles of social and state structure of the independent Kazakhstan, therefore the Constitution and protection of constitutional rights play dominating role in our life. Voting for the Constitution in 1995 the nation confirmed its clear choice of freedom and democracy, having determined the strategy of consistent development of our state for many years. Adoption of the main document of the country became a crucial event in our history. As for the amendments: on May 21, 2007 Head of the State Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a law approved by the Parliament on amendments to the Constitution, as you may remember. These amendments promoted development of the country's political life and led to other changes in various spheres. I mean direct financing of the public associations including the National Academy of Sciences, the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan which could be possible due to the amendments. They led to activation of the non-governmental organizations, strengthening ties among the state bodies and society, raising civic engagement of the population.
In your opinion, does the Constitution accord with the rapidly changing realias of today, in particular on the threshold of Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship? Does it help overcome the challenges of the global financial crisis?
To my mind, the main document of our country proved its solvency and the current Constitution meets all realias of time. Every year, marking the Constitution Day, we analyze the achievements of the previous period. Every year is notable for a number of tasks set to our society, their fulfillment and the aims outlined in the annual messages of the President to the nation are directed on joining Kazakhstan the club of 50 most developed countries of the world. Here the President points out new approaches to the country's economic, technological development - through integration of Kazakhstan into the global economy. We hope that chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the OSCE will positively impact Kazakhstan's weight on the international arena. Even in crisis period the Constitution of Kazakhstan guarantees our legal safety and economic welfare, cultural and spiritual development and further prosperity of our Motherland. I think our Constitution can serve for a long time.
In 1995 you participated in development of the Constitution ...
I held the position of the Minister of Education in 1995 when all members of the Government took part in development of the draft Constitution. We worked on the 30th article regarding education. We faced a number of disputable issues of the transition period like problems of secondary education in independent Kazakhstan. Two words touched off an argument with fiscal bodies. These words were compulsory and free. When the President called me and asked how matters stood in other countries, Turkey for instance, I answered that although Turkey was a developed state, some part of its population remained uneducated since many people were not able to pay tuition fees. At that time education in Turkey was free only from ages 6 to 10. Analogous situation was in Pakistan. Therewith Nursultan Abishevich made a decision: all children are required by the law to receive secondary education free of charge. This wise decision of our President laid the foundation of the development of education in our country.
What is the role of science in the strategy of industrial-innovative development of Kazakhstan?
Unfortunately after the collapse of the Soviet Union our industrial enterprises withdrew from their forward positions since the bridge between science and production disappeared and has not been fully restored yet. Kazakhstan is an industrial and agrarian country so it is necessary to develop science namely in these directions. Scientific research, innovations and creation of knowledge-intensive productions can become foremost directions in the country's economy development.
It is worthy of note that despite the world financial crisis, the volume of financing of science is being increased. The country preserved its leading scientific schools in the fields of mining geology, metallurgy, chemistry including petrochemistry, medicine and agricultural sciences. In light of the Strategy of Kazakhstan's Industrial-Innovative Development we should pay more attention to study of knowledge-intensive technologies. It demands new equipment, laboratories and human resources.
Thank you for the interview.