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Kazakh parliament adopts amendments to Constitution providing for extending President Nazarbayevâ€™s powers via national referendum

14 January 2011 09:35 (UTC +04:00)

Astana â€“ APA. Kazakhstanâ€™s parliament adopted amendments to Constitution providing for extending President Nursultan Nazarbayevâ€™s powers via national referendum, APA reports quoting Interfax agency. The draft Law "On amendments to the Constitution of Kazakhstan" was adopted unanimously at the joint session of both Houses of the Parliament of Kazakhstan. The adopted amendments provide for inserting paragraph 5, Article 42 of the Constitution that provides for possible extension of the powers of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the national referendum.
According to the law, the referendum can be held without interference of parliament. Earlier Nazarbayev was against the referendum, but CEC chairman said that after the parliamentâ€™s decision, the president has no power to veto amendments.
Nursultan Nazarbayev is President of Kazakhstan for more than 20 years. Current term of his presidency will end in 2012.