GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan to implement ambitious institutional reforms, support domestic car makers
Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev chaired the first extended session of the Kazakh Government this week after being reelected President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 5 institutional reforms that are set to strengthen Kazakhstan's statehood were in the focus of the session. At the sitting, President Nazarbayev stressed it was high time to start privatization of agricultural lands in Kazakhstan. "The problem is," the Kazakh President said, "that large land users do not care about preserving soil productivity and sometimes do not cultivate the land. The privatization process should be transparent and the users should be those who can really cultivate it," he said. President Nazarbayev also announced that Kazakhstan will develop its own career model of civil service. "Only the most honest, talented and skilled specialists will work for our government. To this end, new ‘personal qualities' tests will be introduced to employ only the best candidates," the Head of State noted. In addition, the Kazakh leader stressed that the Government should render high level of services. At the session, Prime Minister Karim Massimov declared that the Government would submit its proposal on further reforms for the President's consideration by late June. "You've created the National Commission for Modernization and works groups under the commission that will coordinate various spheres. We will submit our proposal on further reforms and implementation of your instructions by the end of June 2015," he said.
The head of the Kazakh Government also noted that all ministries and agencies had been instructed to map out programs and plans of action for next three months in line with the presidential decrees. "The Government will proceed to implementation of your instructions immediately," the Premier added. The next day Karim Massimov held a regular telephone meeting of the Cabinet, during which participants discussed and approved the Initial Actions Plan of the Government of Kazakhstan for 2015. "The plan was developed in accordance with the instructions of the President given at the enlarged meeting of the Government on May 5, 2015. The National Bank and national holdings together with state agencies concerned worked out the relevant parts of the action plan regarding activities and terms of their implementation," Minister of National Economy Yerbolat Dossayev said, introducing the draft plan. The plan includes 214 items in two sections. The first section features five institutional reforms, and the second one - priorities of current economic policy. "Actions on 5 institutional reforms were developed fully in accordance with the instructions of the President on implementation of 100 specific steps "Modern state for everyone". All proposals on measures from Section 1 of the Plan will be submitted to the National Commission for Modernization," Minister Dossayev added. Vice Minister for Investments and Development Albert Rau said the Government assumed effective measures to support domestic car industry. In his words, national car makers obtain credits from the Development Bank of Kazakhstan and the Government plans to invest into car industry infrastructure in Ust Kamenogorsk and, perhaps, in Kostanay.