Elections in Kazakhstan: respect is at the heart of the power

The past elections in Majilis (the parliament lower chamber) maslahats –the local representative bodies on January 15th in Kazakhstan remained in shadow against the rough elections in the State Duma of Russia and the events which have followed it. Meanwhile, the Republic of Kazakhstan is not only the strategic partner of Russia in the Customs Union and the nearest “southern neighbor”. Today Kazakhstan plays a huge role in the Central Asian region as fast-growing state with stable economy and provided social guarantees. Many inhabitants of the republic name the guarantor of occurring transformations not only its permanent president Nursultan Nazarbayev who has held this post in 1990, but also the system of elective bodies. The participant of mission of observers from the CIS countries, the chairman of the council of deputies of Karasuk area of the Novosibirsk region Yury Obedko told to a portal “The world and we” about how the elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan take place.

- Yury Mikhaylovich how you have appeared among the observers of the elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan?

- Our area is boundary and we are connected with Kazakhstan with related relations in the literal sense of this word. Many townsmen have the relatives, friends, schoolmates there. We exchange the delegations, concerts, we study, help each other. I was invited to be the observer on presidential elections of the Republic of Kazakhstan in April, 2011 for the first time. And now I’m again as a part of delegation of observers from the CIS countries and have visited the elections in representative and power legislature.

- Can you tell about how the state system of Kazakhstan is arranged?

- The head of the state is the president elected by the national voting. As you know, the permanent president of the Republic of Kazakhstan is Nursultan Nazarbaev. Thus, the people really have respect to him: I didn’t hear any disapproving statements for all time that I was there and communicated with different people. And those 95 % of voices which he has got on the last elections is the valid, not thought up and not garbled indicator. The legislature is carried out by a parliament of two houses. The elections in the lower chamber Majilis have passed on January 15. The Majiilis consists of 107 deputies, 98 from whom are elected under party lists and the part is added by the Assembly of the people of Kazakhstan. Maslahats, the local Councils are elected on one-mandatory districts. They didn’t have the level of rural maslahats as we and there are only district, city and regional – the analogs of our regional Legislative Assemblies. There are also the akimats –it is the executive authorities in Russia. The Akim of the region is appointed by the president of republic and he appoints the akims of cities and areas in his turn. The structure is already fulfilled for a long time, all are satisfied and nobody is going to change it yet. It is very short and superficial about a state system of Kazakhstan.

- And what the elective system of Kazakhstan differs from the Russian?

- As we had the rich general past, so there are not a lot of distinctions, but they present all the same. I can't tell about all system, but only about with that I’ve got acquainted personally. For example, the number of divisional election committee is constant – always 7 persons whereas we have from 5 to 11 persons, depending on number of voters on district. All members of election committee enter into it on public principles and even the members of the regional committee are not the released employees and workers of the enterprises and the organizations. Perhaps, they pay them a little extra, but it is symbolically. All members of the committee pass study and they are qualified enough, ready to answer any question. What I liked more is that the elections pass once in five years when they choose the local and state structures, unlike Russia where the elections are practically two times a year - we choose the Legislative Assembly, parliament, the president, mayors of cities, heads of settlements, local councils. We have a lot of elections! They done everything in one day – and all come to an end.

- How the voting procedure passes in the election day?

- First of all, I would mark the high attendance of voters on districts. Practically every district is fixed to each committee-man, make yard-to-yard and door-to-door round and they really know many voters simply personally! During the elections we were in the city of Pavlodar and Aksu – earlier it was called as Ermak city, near Pavlodar. The population is multinational there, active enough, therefore the day of voting passes festively! People go with good mood, polling stations open at 7 a.m. and there are already the turns to them! The committee chairman necessarily congratulates the elders and those who votes for the first time, give small gifts. If the voting passes at home, they come with ballot boxes. I also went and looked how it occurred. Seven parties participated in the elections and there were the representatives from all parties. The special place has been taken away for observers, from which it is seen how many people come into a booth, how they put the ballot papers, all ballot boxes are transparent and all is well seen. The list of all polling stations has been given to us, namely the observers from the CIS, we could choose any! Therefore I have visited 12 stations, including two rural and the conditions were almost identical everywhere. There were almost no infringements. They have the ballot papers of the increased form, all texts are in two languages – Kazakh and Russian. And, it is not only in the ballot papers, but also at stands – there are always the arms, flag and the country hymn and the information of all parties and candidates. I have paid attention – the photos of candidates are color! And our each candidate is in his own way! They don't have the electronic processing of ballot papers, but there is video observation – that we are just striving.

- It is much told about the voting at absentee ballots during the elections in Russia …

- The same system is in Kazakhstan! But there are no problems there. Two voters voted at my presence with the help of them, but in general very few people vote in this way. The counting of votes is done as we do. In the beginning all ballot boxes are sealed in the presence of all committee members and observers and after the closing of stations, the seals are put away in the presence of all members and observers. Only the members of election committee participate in calculation of voices, but the observers sit so that it is all visible to them. Thus nobody tries to help, to prompt something, everything is silent enough, in the businesslike way. The voices of those who voted at home are calculated firstly, then the basic ballot boxes. All observers have received the definitive reports according to the results of voting. I asked three – on party voting, to city and regional maslahat of Pavlodar and I’ve got them immediately.

- Are the people who address to you with complaints to a course of the elective company?

- We have arrived to Pavlodar on Friday and saw reels of parties on television, evident propaganda in the streets. But thus, there were no any broken or stained with dirt posters. On Saturday “day of silence” is also spent and there were neither meetings, nor pickets. And many posters already have been removed. The observers freely walked in the streets, we communicated with inhabitants in the shops, establishments and nobody knew that we have arrived on elections! It is natural that nobody made us any obstacles. I have paid attention, how elegantly look the cities – both Pavlodar and Aksu, they are decorated as for a holiday! Nobody complained to us of the authorities, about the course of the elective company. The inhabitants of the republic really respect the president, are proud of the country. And this relation is felt not only among the Kazakhs, but also at the Russians, Germans who live much there.

- Kazakhstan, as well as we has “party of power”. Was it possible to communicate to the representatives of opposition?

- Yes, I have communicated with the observer from the communist party on the polling station. He also had no complaints to any oppression, infringement of the rights. Seven parties have participated in the elections and that speaks about the democracy level in the country. But anybody slung mud at somebody, there were no provocative statements – all it was felt in the relations. About 7 % of voters have voted for communists and they are happy with result according to my feelings. And as well, I wouldn't tell that their program was opposition – it is not “against the power” and directed on the further development of the country. It is a little surprising, after that you see at us.

- How those events which have occurred in the west of the country, in the city of Zhanaozen had the effect on a course and results of elections?

- All with whom I managed to talk, marked that it was not political, but the economic action. The management of that place has seen the requests and references of people who worked at the enterprises. It was noticed also by the president of the republic in the speech. But look – he has put a veto for cancellation of elections in Zhanaozen! That is has acted very democratically! The management of Kazakhstan has given the chance to all inhabitants of this city to express the opinion! And look at the results of elections in Zhanaozen – nobody has spoken against the party of power! It also has received the majority of voices. The happened events are perceived as the strike!

- But may be Kazakhstan has more rigid, “east” power which allows to hold up the heads to nobody?

- We live nearby Kazakhstan and I communicate with the inhabitants, with heads of areas, deputies for a long time and wouldn't say that their power system is more rigid than ours. They have very good quality – respect for heads. Also you can be assured: if the person has been appointed as akim, it means that he deserved it! They have very competent approach to raising of the heads! That is the akim of settlements if works well, can become the akim of area and the akim of area can become the akim of small city. The present akim of Pavlodar has passed such way – he was the akim of area, has lifted the area on new level, became the akim of Aksu and then already has been appointed as the akim of Pavlodar. I have paid attention – there are many young guys among the heads of settlements! They don’t afraid to trust them and then the best are moved upwards! And they grow up, they go with their commands, having proved that can successfully work! In general, Kazakhstan pays much attention to the youth, education, many young men study abroad, in Russia and they are simple good fellows – they use their knowledge, ambition for the blessing of all republic.

- You have started to speak about the relations with Russia – in your opinion, how they develop today? In due time there was also anti-Russian mood in Kazakhstan, many people ran from the country. Besides, it is possible that there was a relation to Kazakhstan as to “union republic” from the Soviet period - not main in the country, but one of 15 sisters and besides the younger one…

- The relation to Russia is very good. There were hard times, many competent experts left to Russia, many Germans have moved to Germany, especially from the northern, industrial areas. There was a failure in economy in 90th years. But now the situation has changed. The new generation of people who want to live better has grown and aspire to it. A lot of youth studies – at us, at their native places, in the far abroad. There are the prospects and possibilities to promote! They are not closed in the space, go on the world, they have a reconsideration of all last events and they connect the future, certainly, with Russia. We spoke with many people on this theme frankly enough and they are glad that the relations are adjusted now. Thus they steadfastly watch the events occurring at us and sincerely worry about our country! Many people said that would like to see closer interpenetration between our countries, more than the Customs Union.

Certainly, there will be not the return to the USSR any more, but the European Union was often cited to us as a variant of association. Today Kazakhstan is not the same as was earlier! We are equal partners, neighbors! They live not worse than we – I visited many shops, there are the same things, very accessible bread, milk, essential commodities. I liked very much the cleanliness in the street of the Kazakh cities! “Days of cleanness” are spent weekly there! Not as we have the cleaning days, but once a week all go and clean the territory fixed to the organizations! It would be quite good for us to adopt! And it can be not absolutely political problems, but it is the life, it is the relation to the country which it would be quite good for us to adopt!

However, despite all conditions created for elections to the Kazakhstan parliament, not all international institutes recognize their legitimacy. So, according to Reuters agency, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe did not recognize the elections in Kazakhstan as the fair one, which could fixed the loyalty transformed in multi-party parliament to permanent leader Nursultan Nazarbayev. The left in the basket opposition named a result of voting as “mine of the slowed down action”. And though the party in power “Nur-Otan” has lost monopoly in Majilis, the places in it have been divided by three loyal to president political forces.

However, the West did not recognize any elections in Kazakhstan as corresponding to democratic standards and the last did not become an exception. According to many political scientists, the Kazakhstan opposition still does not have that symbolical capital which could be transformed to mass social protests and discontent. “We live in peace of uncertainty. But if to take any objective criteria, more likely, it is necessary to be afraid for the destiny of the Russian elections, rather than the Kazakh elections”, consider the political scientists of Reuters. But, having paraphrasing a known saying, it is necessary to say, perhaps: “the West does not recognize, but Kazakhstan goes forward all the same...”