President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev delivered a speech at the scientific-practical conference “Constitution and Statehood: Dialogue of Law and Future” dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This was reported by Akorda on August 29, according to Adyrna.
In his address, the Head of State reminded that 30 years ago the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan was adopted.
“Today’s gathering is of great importance. Thirty years ago, the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan was adopted through a nationwide referendum. This was a historic moment for our sovereign country. Congratulations to all of you. Indeed, nothing stands above the Constitution. It is the unshakable foundation of our statehood, the guiding star of our Independence. The Kazakh people have always respected the laws of the Great Steppe and adhered to honor and conscience. Kasym Khan’s Bright Path, Yesim Khan’s Old Path, and Tauke Khan’s Seven Charters are vivid examples of steppe law. This tradition has never been broken. Our people have traveled a historical path from steppe laws to the current Constitution. At the beginning of the last century, Kazakh intellectuals made significant contributions to this cause. During the Soviet era, the legal foundation of our country was laid, and a generation of skilled lawyers emerged,” Tokayev said.
He noted that in 1993, independent Kazakhstan’s first Constitution was adopted, which defined the country’s constitutional structure.
“In 1993, the first Constitution of independent Kazakhstan was adopted, and the constitutional framework of our state was defined. But soon it became necessary to adopt a new Constitution in line with the new historical circumstances. A special council was established, which included a group of well-known domestic lawyers who actively worked on this task. Foreign experts also contributed to this important work. Millions of citizens participated in discussing the draft Constitution, and thousands of proposals were submitted. When we speak of the Constitution, it is necessary to fairly acknowledge the persistent efforts of the First President, Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev. As the Head of State at that time, he played a decisive role in the adoption of the Constitution,” the President emphasized.
Thus, on August 30, 1995, the Constitution — the passport of Independence — was adopted.
“The words ‘We, the people of Kazakhstan, united by a common historical destiny…’ were inscribed in our country’s fundamental law. The Constitution made a great contribution to strengthening our Independence and paved the way for the further development of our nation. Kazakhstan became a respected member of the international community as a sovereign state. Of course, time does not stand still. Over the past thirty years, the Constitution has been amended six times for various reasons. But it is fair to say that the most important constitutional change took place three years ago. Thanks to the constitutional reform, the political and legal system of our country acquired a fundamentally new character. At that time, there was a wide discussion about whether amendments should be introduced through Parliament. But despite the complexity, we chose another path. I decided that vital decisions directly affecting the future of the nation must be made only through a referendum, and this principle must be strictly upheld,” Tokayev concluded.
