KZBlog

The Constitutional Council of Kazakhstan has made a decision regarding the proposed law by Parliament to hold a referendum extending the term of the President until 2020. They have declared the law unconstitutional. The proposed amendments would have also codified the President’s status as Elbasi or “Leader of the Nation” in the Constitution itself.

As of yet, the official decision hasn’t gone up on the Constitutional Council’s site. However, the head of the Council, Igor Rogov has said the final decision rests with the President because he has the right within one month to object to the Council’s decision.

Meanwhile, advisor to the President Yermukhmet Yertysbayev claims that the decision was made in objection to the way the amendments were proposed and passed in Parliament, not the idea of a referendum itself.

Apparently tonight at 5pm, the President will speak on live television about the referendum and his decision although I can’t confirm this from any official source. Rumor has it he will reject the idea.