Kazakhstan’s political system will remain unchanged – president – Reuters

NUR-SULTAN, January 5. /TASS/. Kazakhstan’s political system and economic configuration will remain unchanged, the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Wednesday.

“The Head of State stressed that the political, social and economic configuration of our country will remain unchanged. According to him, the principles of unitarity, rule of law, respect for private property and market economy will remain the priority of our state policy,” the presidential press service quoted the Kazakh leader as saying after a government meeting.

On January 2, crowds took to the streets in the towns of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region to protest against high fuel prices. According to them, the price per liter of liquefied gas has risen to 120 tenge ($0.27) since January 1, so protesters demanded to cut it in half, to 50-60 tenge ($0.11 – 0, $13). The president instructed the government to urgently assess the situation in the region, taking into account economic feasibility and legal issues. The government commission arrived in Aktau and began its work. On Tuesday, after talks with protesters, the commission announced that the price of liquefied gas would be lowered to 50 tenge in the Mangistau region.

The president imposed a two-week state of emergency and curfew in the country’s largest city, Almaty, and the southwestern province of Mangistau early Wednesday. The Head of State also accepted the government’s resignation. Its members will continue to exercise their functions until the formation of a new cabinet.