Many people from Russia and Ukraine are now arriving in Kazakhstan, the correspondents of the State Gazette reported.
Many of them lived in the Republic of Kazakhstan before the war in Ukraine. Some have even retained their Kazakh citizenship, while others have taken Russian or Ukrainian passports in the meantime. In most cases, these people claim that they come to Kazakhstan to visit relatives and friends and claim that they have planned these trips for a long time. However, some people want to escape the sanctions imposed on Russia.
The first wave of Russians in Kazakhstan
The majority of Kazakhs consider those arriving from Russia to be “their people” – they perceive them as representatives of the so-called “Russian Kazakhs”. Recently, advice to Russian citizens arriving in Kazakhstan has become more frequent on the Telegram social network – useful information that should facilitate their establishment in the country.
This is what has worried many Kazakhs, who fear that the mass exodus of Russians will increase unemployment in the country. In this sense, the lifting of restrictions on entry into the country, which were imposed due to the pandemic, is also a cause for concern. This change takes effect on March 30.
“The first wave of Russian settlers was in 2014. In the beginning, we treated them well – they did not differ much from us, but they are good specialists. One of them was even appointed deputy director of the company where I worked.”
But then things changed: half a year later, the first “staff optimization” took place, in which many local people were fired and replaced by Russians. year, the Russian became director of the transport company, and of the 25 Kazakhs who worked there before the arrival of the Russians, today only seven remain.
The Ukrainians arriving now are fleeing war and destruction, and the Russians are fleeing harsh Western sanctions. Living in Kazakhstan or another former Soviet republic gives them the advantage that they do not usually need a visa, that they can communicate with local people in Russian and that they can easily adapt.
Russian citizens, as well as citizens of Ukraine, are now entitled to a 90-day visa-free stay in Kazakhstan. But there are also differences: Ukrainians find it much easier to find a home and a job in Kazakhstan. Not because they are fleeing the war, but because they are thought to have a different attitude to work: they are willing to work with local people and do not try to displace them. Read more: Twelve criminal groups took part in the riots in Kazakhstan
To Almaty for 300 euros
Ukrainian automotive expert Alexander Kislyuk has worked in Kazakhstan for many years and says the locals are very good-natured and hospitable. The Almaty Foreign Ministry confirmed to the State Gazette that Ukrainian citizens are free to enter Kazakhstan and stay without a visa for up to 90 days.
For a longer stay, registration with the Migration Office is required – based on an employment contract or acquired citizenship.
According to unofficial information, no more than a thousand Ukrainian citizens have arrived in Kazakhstan in the last month. This is mainly because there are currently no planes flying from Ukraine to Kazakhstan.
Regular flights to Almaty and Nur-Sultan have operated only from Frankfurt am Main, and the price of one ticket is about 300 euros. This means that a large influx of arriving Ukrainians can hardly be expected in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan has a huge potential for the development of nuclear energy
The Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Bolat Akchulakov told reporters that the issue of the construction of a nuclear power plant is considered by his ministry as one of the most promising areas. He cites forecasts from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which show that by 2050 the world will have a 1.8-fold increase in nuclear power production, from 390 gigawatts to 715 gigawatts.
Kazakhstan has a huge potential for the development of nuclear energy and is the world’s leading producer of natural uranium. The country has its production of nuclear fuel components and access to uranium isotope enrichment services. In 2021, a plant for the production of nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants in China was opened based on the Ulba Metallurgical Plant.
Authorities in Kazakhstan are currently studying the technologies of six global suppliers – American (NuScale), American-Japanese (GE-Hitachi), Korean (KHNP), Chinese (CNNC), Russian (Rosatom), and French (EDF).
The new Kazakhstan
In 2022, the world continues to be excited by the crown virus pandemic, but it has also been pushed into the scenario of political and economic transformation through unprecedented information pressure. In the first months, however, events took place in one of the most important countries in the post-Soviet space, Kazakhstan, which proved to be a kind of transition to a new era.
In the first days of January 2022, the peaceful protests to lower fuel prices marked the beginning of processes that, in their accents and dimensions, exceeded all expectations.
The events presented a dynamic, full of surprises, pictures in which the issue of power proved to be central. To some extent, these facts were part of a very complex and multi-layered process, which was started by the President of Kazakhstan Kassam-Jomart Tokayev.
It is a fact that under his leadership the course of comprehensive socio-economic reforms and democratic transformations aimed at improving the welfare of the population and building a fairer society has continued. A serious challenge for the change is the principle of the “hearing state” introduced by K. Tokaev, which aimed at a quick and constructive response by the state authorities to all requests of the citizens.
The President also announced a concept for the creation of a “New Kazakhstan.” First of all, the launch of public values, non-acceptance of radicalism, extreme views and actions, strengthening creative motivation, overcoming all possible opposition in society. the continuation of gradual and systemic reforms.
It is essential that the unstable situation in Kazakhstan was overcome with adequate measures taken by the President. On January 21, 2022, at a meeting with representatives of big business, K. Tokaev called on businesses to start working together to build a new economic policy. K. Tokayev stressed that the main principles of the new economic policy should be fair competition, transparency of decisions, predictability of state policy, and social responsibility of entrepreneurs.
The head of state called on local entrepreneurs to show patriotism and social responsibility and to direct resources such as capital, experience, team managers, and a clear vision of the market to the transformation of the economy.
President K. Tokayev also outlined basic principles that should form the basis of the country’s new economic course. The first principle, he said, is the inviolability of private property. The guarantor must be a transparent and fair court.
The second component of the New Economic Course is the investment climate. The President reiterated that the state will strictly fulfill all investment obligations.
At the same time, he called on businessmen and entrepreneurs to invest and do business in Kazakhstan. The third principle, fair competition, is aimed at freeing the economy from artificial monopolies and unnecessary intermediary chains in the market.
In his speech, the head of state pointed out the need to introduce order on the issue of full payment of taxes and transparent reporting of large enterprises.
President K. Tokayev set as one of the main tasks the reform of the public procurement system and the reduction of the state’s participation in the economy. An important focus of the New Economic Course will be the reduction of administrative barriers, while not violating the rights of entrepreneurs.
The most important task of the authorities in Kazakhstan is to overcome income inequality. The results are impressive. It is reported that the program “Economics of Simple Things” is in the process of implementing more than 3.5 thousand projects, creating 70 thousand jobs, and producing goods and conditions worth 3.5 trillion tenges. Again, on a project basis, businesses also receive state support through the Business Roadmap program.
This helps to save more than 50,000 jobs. A serious economic, but mostly social effect has been achieved with the initiative for early use of pension savings. This allows a large number of Kazakhs to improve their living conditions ahead of time or reduce the mortgage burden.
Continuation of this policy is the task set before the government for two months to prepare a program to increase the income of the population. The realization of this challenge is oriented in several directions.
Diversification of the economy is mentioned as the main priority. One direction is state funding in various fields and social groups. It is strongly emphasized that subsidies for agriculture will be increased. It is envisaged a gradual increase in the salaries of employees in the state administration and ministries as a kind of guarantee for an objective and professional approach to solving the numerous governmental and institutional tasks.
The set of measures to control inflation developed by the government is essential for increasing the well-being of the Kazakh population.
President Tokayev and the Cabinet link the solution to the economic problems of the Kazakh society with a purposeful and consistent policy in two directions in the field of personnel. The first is related to the application of the principle of professionalism in the appointment and career development of officials in government and institutional administration.
In this direction is the creation of the “Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve”.
The idea is in this way to create an opportunity for the good realization of professionally trained young people. It is assumed that this will create a mechanism for the formation of new thinking and a new approach to the work of the state apparatus. Solving this important issue for the governance of Kazakhstan, subordinated to the idea of a new economy, is logically linked to increasing the competitiveness of higher education institutions.
It is planned that by 2025 at least 5 branches of reputable foreign universities will be opened in the country.
The guarantee for the implementation of the ambitious government program is the provided stable financing. The social and social fund “Kazakhstan Chalk” is created, ie. “For the people of Kazakhstan”, which will deal with solving problems in the field of health, education, and social support.
The fund will be financed from public and private sources. The Kazakh society needs to promote and maintain the policy for the protection of human rights. The head of state has repeatedly stressed that respect for human rights and freedoms is a priority for the state.
Kazakhstan accedes to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Given the fact that in a country like Kazakhstan signed decrees and state documents are essential, the Decree “On further measures of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of human rights” cannot be missed.
The aim is to create a comprehensive modernization of the human rights sphere in the country.
Concrete results of President Tokayev’s policy aimed at the implementation of democratic forms in Kazakhstan are both the abolition of the death penalty and the systematic development of the institution of the Commissioner for Human Rights.
In addition, this year the Kazakh government has decided to raise interest rates by 10% on bank deposits in the national currency. It should be noted that in Kazakhstan the volume of deposits in national currency is 95% of all deposits in second-tier banks.
A comprehensive and objective investigation of the January events is under the personal control of the head of state and after the end of the in-depth investigation, a detailed analysis of past events will be presented.
Thus, President Kasam-Jomart Tokayev approved new rules and approaches in state policy aimed at economic stability, social protection, financial security, and protection of citizens in all spheres of public life.
Kazakhstan has a comprehensive policy of large-scale democratization and reform of society and the country as a whole. After the January events in Kazakhstan, President Kasam-Jomart Tokayev managed to adequately, boldly, and quickly manage the complex and dynamic situation. Ensuring the internal stability of the new Kazakhstan, the president also guarantees regional security.
