Nursultan Nazarbayev signs law on snap presidential elections in KazakhstanFebruary 2, 2011 - 16:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a law on amendments to the constitution, allowing him to hold snap presidential elections instead of a referendum on prolonging his rule until 2020, presidential press service reported. Kazakhstan's parliament on Wednesday, February 2, approved amendments to the constitution. The bill amending the constitution was unanimously approved by the parliament's two houses and was submitted to the president to be signed. "The law puts in place the constitutional framework for conducting early presidential polls," Talgat Danakov, deputy chief of presidential administration, said at the joint session of parliament. Nazarbayev, whose current term is due to expire in 2012, unexpectedly rejected a plan to hold a referendum on prolonging his rule until 2020, saying that he would instead call early presidential polls. The presidential announcement to reject the referendum plan, which had envisaged scrapping elections in 2012 and 2017, came after rare criticism of the ex-Soviet state by its Western ally the United States. The parliament last month said the controversial referendum should go ahead but the constitutional court rejected the plan later, according to AFP. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Welcome to CaseKey 2024. Byblos Bank Armenia firmly stands by future innovators Strategic business cases, invaluable experience, innovative approaches and more than 25 events are in store for the participants of CaseKey 2024. Macron honors Charles Aznavour on 100th anniversary French President Emmanuel Macron has paid tribute to the memory of French-Armenian crooner Charles Aznavour. Blinken says U.S. reviewing a number of aid requests from Armenia He said the U.S. is reviewing the requests to determine what more it can do to increase its assistance to Armenia. At least 2 CSTO members participated in preparing 44-day war against Armenia – PM Nikol Pashinyan has declared that at least two CSTO member countries participated in preparations for the 44-day war against Armenia. |