According to a survey conducted by the Demoscope Bureau for Rapid Public Opinion Monitoring, 53.1% of Kazakhstan’s citizens do not support transitioning to a single time zone, reports the national portal “Adyrna,” citing KazTAG.
The survey, conducted between November 27 and December 11, 2024, explored citizens’ opinions on this reform and assessed their views on key events of 2024. The results show that 22.1% support the transition to a single time zone, 15.5% remain neutral, and 7.4% are unaware of the proposed change.
Respondents’ attitudes toward the reform varied by region. In the eastern and central regions—Abay, East Kazakhstan, Zhetysu, Karaganda, and Ulytau regions—the majority (74.6%) opposed the single time zone. In Almaty, 68.4% were against it, in Astana, 55.7%, and in the southern regions (Shymkent, Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, and Turkistan), 47.8% opposed the change. In the northern regions (Akmola, Kostanay, Pavlodar, and North Kazakhstan), 45.3% expressed disapproval.
Only in the western regions (Aktobe, Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, and Mangystau) did support slightly outweigh opposition, with 31.8% in favor and 30.6% against.
Citizens’ primary concerns centered on low income levels (37.6%), rising food prices (28.3%), and corruption (26.8%). Other issues, such as floods and earthquakes, were also highlighted.
The Demoscope study revealed a growing critical perspective among Kazakhstani citizens regarding living standards and social issues.
