Interview of Majilis deputy Dariga Nazarbayeva to news agency Kazakhstan Today

Kazakhstan Today: Dariga Nursultanovna, have the political reforms, the necessity of which the State commission for democratization members spoke, begun?

D. Nazarbayeva: the word "reform" should not bewitch us. The reforms for the sake of reforms, for which, as a matter of fact, many our opponents stand up, are harmful and unproductive. They are effective only when they are supported by the society and directed at preservation of stability, when there is a political core around which they are built. This core is the uniform executive authority headed by the President of the country.

Therefore, my position is that the time for refusal of the principle of appointment of oblast akims by the President has not come yet. The political party that won in parliamentary elections should recommend the candidate of the head of the government and the President of Kazakhstan should make the decision. It is important that the President of the country appoints the chairmen of security departments with the mandatory parliamentary control over their activity.

Any reforms strengthening the role of the Parliament and political parties can and should take place only in case of continuation of strong presidential vertical. At the present stage of development of our state only strong presidential authority is capable to provide fast growing modernization, social and economic progress of Kazakhstan.

I am deeply convinced that strong presidential authority is the main guarantee of stability and democratic development of our country.

Therefore, I signed the group of deputies of the Parliament petition with the proposal to cancel restrictions of the presidential terms for the first President of Kazakhstan. His historical mission has not completed.

Kazakhstan Today: It is known, that you took an active part in the work of the State commission on democratization and headed the working group. After the adoption of the amendments to the Constitution by the Parliament of the country how can you estimate the conducted work?

D. Nazarbayeva: Political reform, a choice of the Kazakhstan model of political system is our great achievement. It is a merit of everyone with whom we cooperated during the work in the National commission on democratization, in the state commission with whom we began our political work in Asar Party, all with whom we are now carrying out the work in Nur Otan Party.

I would like to note with satisfaction that the majority of proposals of the State commission on development of the program of democratic reforms in Kazakhstan found reflection in proposed for the Parliament consideration the project of amendments to the Constitution.

First of all, it is the proposal concerning expansion of the role of parties in political system of Kazakhstan and the questions of strengthening of the role of representative bodies of authority.

This is serious a step towards development of our society.

Kazakhstan Today: Does it mean when political reforms are under way, life will change for the better?

D. Nazarbayeva: For some reason very often you come across such position as believing that it is enough to make certain legislative changes - and life will change for the better. For example, it is enough to increase presence of political parties in the legislative bodies or provide state support of the parties that have been elected to the Parliament - and political system becomes more effective. I would like to say that it is not the case.

Too often, taking a great interest in the form, the formal side of the reforms, we sometimes forget of their content and personnel. Political reform in full scope sets the agenda regarding new staff for political system of the country, the necessity of development and realization of new approaches to selection, preparation, retraining and rotation of political officials in the country.

Kazakhstan Today: Recently the public has been disturbed by the events around the litigation connected with the policemen attack on Nurbank. Is your silence on this issue your position?

D. Nazarbayeva: You know, in our life there are big and small things. Political reform is something big that makes a core of the life of the country. This is something that we have been working over for a long time, which is really important for all Kazakhstan citizens. The examples could be the decision on abolishment of arrest of a citizen without legal proceedings; introduction jury in Kazakhstan and it is only the beginning.

I am, as the Parliament deputy, aware of many cases when employees of law enforcement bodies openly trample on the law, detaining people without sufficient bases infringing legal procedures trying to get from an arrested person the necessary evidence. Frequently inadequate investigatory actions pursue self-interest.

Even the day before the Constitutional reform there was very rigid struggle from the Office of Public Prosecutor and security bodies against introduction of the norm on judicial authorization of arrests.

Interesting coincidence: as soon as serious political transformations are about to happen in the country there are criminal excesses. Zamanbek Nurkadilov died right before the presidential elections. Right after the presidential elections, given greater hopes for political reforms, Altynbek Sarsenbayev was killed. All this unconvincing bustle around Nurbank has arisen just before the major political events with an ulterior motive.

All these events around Nurbank - being done by those who do not like those changes taking place in the country. When A. Sarsenbayev was killed, I said, in one of the interviews, that this crime was directed against the President of the country and has an ultimate goal to disavow the results of the national voting for Nursultan Nazarbayev. And I turned out to have been rights. I am convinced that the events around Nurbank also have the purpose to discredit the President and his policy.

My position is simple: everything will be over - only truth will stay behind.

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