ALMATY, JUNE 23 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — In a surprise move, Kazakhstan’s parliament voted to approve a moratorium laid down by President Nursultan Nazarbayev earlier this year on reforms to the country’s land code.
Although the vote doesn’t change the process, it does confirm that Mr Nazarbayev and the Kazakh elite have delayed controversial changes to the land code until at least January.
The changes to the land code, that would have made it easier for foreigners to own and rent land, triggered a wave of protests across the country in April and May. These were the largest popular protests against Mr Nazarbayev since he took office in 1991, forcing him to announce the moratorium.
He also heaped blame on government officials for the mishandling of the land code reform that had been designed to attract much-needed foreign investment.
Like the rest of the region, Kazakhstan has been dealing with a sharp economic downturn that has hit its finances. It is heavily reliant on sales of oil and gas for its income, both of which has plummeted in value since mid-2014.
There were some suspicions that the land reform proposal were being used by opponents of Mr Nazarbayev to whip up a popular revolt against him.
The authorities accused the boss of a brewery in Shymkent for attempting a coup.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 286, published on June 24 2016)