For the fourth time in twenty years, Kazakhstan’s host with the most, Nursultan Nazarbayev has been sworn into office. I’m not sure whether the building existed back in 1991 (I’m guessing not from its name), but the event took place in the “Palace of Independence”. This post is a run down of a few details taken from Kassimov’s blog again, hopefully a little better written than the broken up stream of consciousness style drivel I wrote this morning whilst watching the ceremony. Apparently more than three thousand people attended (obviously including the crowds who were outside, I don’t think that 3000 of them were all VIPs watching the ceremony from inside the palace! Civil servants, parliamentary deputies (I’m assuming from both houses), cabinet members (does anyone know if their resignation took place prior to the swearing in?), Akimats (mayors, who’ve I’ve just discovered are also part of the previously mentioned reshuffle), ambassadors and of course WWII veterans made up the vast majority of those inside.
Abai Tasbulatov (the National Guard’s commander) brought the Kazakh Flag as well as the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the ceremony. Igor Rogov (Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Council’s chairman) explained that in keeping with Article 42 of the Kazakh Constitution the President takes the oath of office after taking the oath. Yes, you read that right, that last part of the sentence is a direct quote. I’m not quite sure what the original Russian or Kazakh text says exactly, as I can’t find the same article in anything other than English!). Anyway, I’m assuming it meant something like once he resigned, he could be sworn back into office? Scratch that, I’ve found the original article here, the strange translation was based on the fact that the President officially takes office once he has sworn the oath.
The President then promised to serve Kazakhstani people, obey both the Constitution and laws & guarantee the rights and liberties of its citizens.
(The post title is a reference to Kevin Bloody Wilson’s similarly named track by the way, in case you couldn’t work it out and actually cared!)
April 8th, 2011 9:47 pm
I believe the resignation officially took place at the meeting after the inauguration.
April 9th, 2011 2:02 pm
Thanks for the update.