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Nursultan Nazarbayev

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115-523: Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakh politician who served as the first President of Kazakhstan , from the country's independence in 1991 until his formal resignation in 2019, and as the Chairman of the Security Council of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2022. He held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022. Nazarbayev was one of the longest-ruling non-royal leaders in

230-566: A crisis similarly in Ukraine would happen. In June 2016, armed attacks in Aktobe took place resulting in deaths of 25 people. Nazarbayev called the incident as terrorist attacks which were orchestrated from abroad to destabilize the country similarly in a colour revolution to which he accused of being infiltrated by the ISIS militants. On 8 September 2016, Nazarbayev appointed Karim Massimov as

345-531: A district of Kazakhstan that were directly exposed at high levels to fallout from the Soviet bomb tests. These studies concluded that individuals who had been exposed to the fallout between 1949 and 1956 had an approximate 80% increase of mutations in the minisatellite regions of their DNA . The children of these individuals had 50% more mutations in their minisatellite regions compared to their control counterparts. Some health scientists are still not sure what

460-542: A fire. At the end of World War II , the family returned to the village of Chemolgan where in 1948, Nazarbayev began attending school and being taught the Russian language ; while living with his paternal uncle, as his parents had not owned dwelling in the place for a brief period. Nazarbayev later himself chose to settle in the upper part of Chemolgan where mainly ethnic Russians lived, in order to master Russian while communicating with them. Despite performing well at school, by

575-468: A government official until his death. He also retains the ability to speak to the people of Kazakhstan, keeps guards, communication, transport, and state support of his activity, and that his official apartment and summer residence became his property with official maintenance. He is also provided with medical care, sanatorium, pensions and insurance. On April 26, 2015, Nursultan Nazarbayev was re-elected for his 5th presidential term. The official ceremony of

690-480: A nuclear test near Semipalatinsk in 1955. In this report, a source who was in the vicinity of a Soviet thermonuclear test in November 1955 describes experiencing loss of hearing, "the air... crackling up with pressure" as if the "air was tearing up", and the ground shaking. Ethnographic data from anthropological study detail some of the unique perspectives of those populations that are affected and still live within

805-416: A population of 50, Koyaners have high rates of "anemia, cancer, hypertension, headaches, skin rashes, and bone pain" along with self-reported hair loss, nosebleeds, and cataracts. While unhealthy, Stawkowski noted that there was an absence of "serious and life-threatening deformities" that are portrayed, in media and by doctors, to be prevalent in people exposed to long-term and low-dose radiation. Examples of

920-552: A series of economic challenges, including the 2007–2008 financial crisis , the 2010s oil glut , and the Russo-Ukrainian War , in which these events contributed to the devaluation of the Kazakhstani tenge and triggered periods of inflation. In March 2019, Nazarbayev resigned from the presidency amid anti-government rallies , handing power to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev , a close ally who went on to overwhelmingly win

1035-513: Is at least 40 years old. and has a perfect command of the Kazakh language and has lived in Kazakhstan for not less than 15 years. The election day shall be held on the first Sunday of December and shall not coincide with the election of a new Parliament. The constitution limits the number of terms a president can serve to two terms in a row. The candidate who receives more than 50 percent of

1150-496: Is our death. We are not deformed, just a little sick." In the same manner, many within the village self-report that when they venture outside the area for supplies, they suffer symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and stomach cramps, furthering the thought that they have come to rely on the radiation to live. Overall, residents have embraced the radiation as a sign of their own genetic adaptation. According to fieldwork in Koyan, with

1265-707: The 2022 constitutional referendum , Nazarbayev’s privileges were largely revoked thereafter. He continued to serve as an honorary member of the Senate and a member of the Constitutional Council until those titles were stripped in 2023. Nazarbayev was born in Chemolgan , a rural town near Almaty , when Kazakhstan was one of the republics of the Soviet Union , to parents Ábish Nazarbayev (1903–1970) and Aljan Nazarbayeva (1910–1978). His father Ábish

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1380-669: The Alma-Ata Protocol , taking Kazakhstan into the Commonwealth of Independent States . Nazarbayev renamed the former State Defense Committees as the Ministry of Defense and appointed Sagadat Nurmagambetov as Defense Minister on 7 May 1992. The Supreme Soviet , under the leadership of Chairman Serikbolsyn Abdilin , began debating over a draft constitution in June 1992. Opposition political parties Azat , Jeltoqsan and

1495-669: The Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan . The president is the holder of the highest office within the Republic of Kazakhstan. The powers of this position are described in a special section of the Constitution of Kazakhstan . The position was established on 24 April 1990, a year before the dissolution of the Soviet Union . The current president is Kassym-Jomart Tokayev , who assumed office on 20 March 2019 following

1610-534: The BBC as the biggest opposition movement of his time in power. On 16 December 2011, demonstrations in the oil town of Zhanaozen clashed with police on the country's Independence Day. Fifteen people were shot dead by security forces and almost 100 people were injured. Protests quickly spread to other cities but then died down. The subsequent trial of demonstrators uncovered mass abuse and torture of detainees. On 24 September 2012, Nazarbayev appointed Serik Akhmetov as

1725-552: The Eurasian Economic Union was Nazarbayev's "brainchild". Other world leaders who sent messages to Nazarbayev included Ilham Aliyev , President of Azerbaijan , Alexander Lukashenko , President of Belarus , and Emomali Rahmon , President of Tajikistan . President of Kazakhstan The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the head of state of the Kazakhstan and the commander-in-chief of

1840-746: The Eurasian Economic Union , the Commonwealth of Independent States and globally by becoming a member of the World Trade Organization . Moreover, he played a crucial role in nuclear disarmament efforts by renouncing the country's inherited nuclear arsenal and closing the Semipalatinsk Test Site . Despite these accomplishments, challenges persisted due to widespread corruption and nepotism linked to Nazarbayev and his family, which hindered transparency and accountability, posing significant obstacles to Kazakhstan's development. In addition, Nazarbayev's tenure also confronted

1955-477: The Founding Congress of the party which was held on 1 March 1999, Nazarbayev was elected as the chairman. From there, he suggested that former PM Sergey Tereshchenko should take over the leading role, noting the constitutional limits on president's affiliation with political parties while Nazarbayev himself remained as de facto party leader. In July 1999, Nazarbayev signed decree setting the date for

2070-547: The Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Secretary . Imangali Tasmagambetov took over Tokayev's role as the new PM which viewed as a response towards a political crisis which occurred following the formation of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan in November 2001 by several prominent Kazakh officials who called for political and democratic reforms. Tasmagambetov's government was short-lived, facing opposition by

2185-553: The National Security Committee Chairman and Bakhytzhan Sagintayev to the post of the PM. Days later on 13 September, Nazarbayev's daughter Dariga was appointed as the member of the Senate . This suggested that Nazarbayev was preparing for his succession to be taken over by Dariga as the cabinet reshuffling had occurred after Uzbek President Islam Karimov 's death which created political uncertainty in

2300-552: The New Union Treaty was signed, Nazarbayev would replace Valentin Pavlov as Premier of the Soviet Union . The Soviet Union disintegrated following the failed coup, though Nazarbayev was highly concerned with maintaining the close economic ties between Kazakhstan and Russia. In the country's first presidential election , held on 1 December, he appeared alone on the ballot and won 95% of the vote. On 21 December, he signed

2415-548: The Nur Otan won all the contested seats in the Mazhilis , eliminating any form of opposition which sparked controversy and criticism from international organizations and groups within the country. In response, Kazakhstan introduced an amendment by allowing for a two-party system since any party that wins second place in race—regardless or not if it passes the 7% electoral threshold —would be guaranteed to have representation in

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2530-672: The Otan increased its ranks as all pro-presidential parties began merging into one. Nazarbayev supported the move, stating the need for there to be fewer, but stronger parties that "efficiently defend the interests of the population." In December 2006, the Otan renamed itself into Nur Otan and on 4 July 2007, Nazarbayev was re-elected as the party's chairman. Amidst the political shakeup , Nazarbayev dismissed Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov in January 2007 and appointed Deputy PM Karim Massimov to

2645-786: The Parliament approved a constitutional amendment allowing Nazarbayev to lead the Security Council for life. During Nazarbayev's presidency, Kazakhstan experienced a rapid economic growth in 2000s, driven by high oil prices and market-oriented reforms, establishing the country as a prominent economic power in Central Asia . Foreign investments in key industries fueled modernization and infrastructure development. Additionally, Nazarbayev's foreign policy approach emphasized maintaining good relations with major powers and actively integrating Kazakhstan into regional organizations such as

2760-446: The Parliament over his proposed policies on land privatisation which led to a motion of no confidence against him. Tasmagambetov resigned in June 2003 and Nazarbayev appointed Daniyal Akhmetov to lead the government citing the reason "to intensify the pace of social and economic development." In June 2000, the Constitutional Council announced its resolution which declared that Nazarbayev's second term was, in fact, his first due to

2875-650: The Republican Party , held demonstrations in Alma-Ata from 10 to 17 June 1992 calling for the formation of a coalition government , resignation of Sergey Tereshchenko's government and the Supreme Soviet which, at that time, was composed of former Communist Party legislators who had yet to stand in an election. The Constitution, adopted on 28 January 1993, created a strong executive branch with limited checks on executive power. On 10 December 1993,

2990-699: The Supreme Council passed a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Sergey Tereshchenko amidst political scandals evolving Tereshchenko and government ministers. Nazarbayev objected to the change, arguing that the Constitution gave the president the right to appoint the PM with already existing parliamentary confirmation regardless of the motion of confidence. However, he eventually backed down, dismissing Tereshchenko's government in October 1994 and appointing ethnic-Kazakh Akezhan Kazhegeldin as

3105-511: The germline mutations mean for the individuals' health, but there is increasing evidence these mutations may increase genetic predisposition to certain diseases such as cardiovascular diseases . There has also been evidence that increased levels of DNA mutation rates are correlated with prolonged radiation exposure . A longitudinal study conducted over a 40-year span found a correlation between radiation fallout exposure and prevalence of solid tumors. The most frequent sites for solid tumors were

3220-419: The legislative elections . The Otan, for the first time, participated in the elections, winning 23 seats. In the aftermath on 1 October 1999, Nazarbayev appointed Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as the PM after his predecessor Nurlan Balgimbayev had faced an increasing unpopularity amidst worsening economy and scandal revolving around an arms deal with North Korea . Nazarbayev appointed Altynbek Sarsenbayev , who at

3335-514: The snap presidential election in June 2019. Although he formally stepped down, Nazarbayev was widely considered a éminence grise in Kazakh politics, retaining significant influence as chairman of both the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan and Nur Otan until 2021 and chairing the Security Council until his dismissal amid the 2022 unrest . Protected by immunity from criminal prosecution until

3450-558: The Department of Defense as PNUTS (Possible Nuclear Underground Test Site) and to the CIA as URDF-3 (Unidentified Research and Development Facility-3) was of great interest to American intelligence agencies. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was discovered that the mysterious URDF-3 was tasked with researching a nuclear thermal rocket similar to the US's NERVA . Information about

3565-838: The KGB reported to Moscow that protest sentiments were intensifying and warned of a possible repeat of the December 1986 events in Alma-Ata , but on a republic-wide scale. Ultimately, the decision was made to abandon the site expansion plan. On May 30, 1989, Nazarbayev addressed the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union : I want to especially highlight the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, which has been active since 1949 and initially conducted atmospheric tests. The population around it has quadrupled since then. But

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3680-402: The Kazakh government allots each resident a one time lump sum roughly equivalent to $ 50 USD. Although there are clear biological impacts of the radiation exposure, the surrounding communities rarely have a sense of nuclear victimization. Although their health is negatively impacted by the radiation, residents see themselves as resilient. Many believe that they have genetically adapted to survive

3795-471: The Kazakhs"), for the country to attract better and more foreign investment, since "Kazakhstan" by its name is associated with other " -stan " countries. Nazarbayev suggested Mongolia receives more investment than Kazakhstan because it is not a "-stan" country, even though it is in the same neighborhood, and not as stable as Kazakhstan. However, he noted that decision should be decided by the people on whether

3910-455: The Making of Kazakhstan . The book took a generally pro-Nazarbayev stance, asserting in the introduction that he is mostly responsible for the success of modern Kazakhstan. In April 2011, Nazarbayev ran for a fourth term , winning 95.5% of the vote with virtually no opposition candidates. Following his victory, he announced the need in finding an "optimal way of empowering parliament, increasing

4025-497: The PM, a close-ally of Nazarbayev who served as First Deputy PM under Massimov's cabinet and the Äkim of Karaganda Region . Massimov in turn, became the new head of the Presidential Administration . In December 2012, Nazarbayev outlined a forward-looking national strategy called the Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy . In 2014, Nazarbayev proposed that Kazakhstan should change its name to "Kazakh Eli" ("Country of

4140-473: The Parliament. Nazarbayev has always emphasized the role of education in the nation's social development. In order to make education affordable, on 13 January 2009, he introduced educational grant "Orken" for the talented youth of Kazakhstan. This decree was amended on 23 September 2016. In 2009, former UK Cabinet Minister Jonathan Aitken released a biography of the Kazakh leader entitled Nazarbayev and

4255-648: The President of Kazakhstan receives the special model of the Order of the Golden Eagle, and is thus a Commander of that order ex officio . Item 5 of Article 42 of the Constitution determines that no one can be elected president more than two terms in a row, but it also states that " The present restriction shall not extend on the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. " Article 46 says that

4370-692: The Semipalatinsk Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, who, with the approval of the republican leadership, sent a telegram on February 20, 1989, to the CPSU Central Committee, addressed to M. S. Gorbachev, requesting that “relevant ministries and agencies be instructed to temporarily suspend or drastically reduce the frequency and power of explosions and, in the future, move nuclear testing to another, more acceptable location.” Meanwhile,

4485-599: The Semipalatinsk site into the Taldy-Kurgan Region. Nazarbayev refused to sign the document, summoning Taldy-Kurgan’s regional executive committee chair, Seilbek Shaumakhanov, to Alma-Ata and instructing him to spread the word about the expansion plan and to hold a protest rally with an “unexpectedly assembled” public. A significant role was also played by Keshirim Boztaev, the First Secretary of

4600-399: The Soviet Union . Nazarbayev ruled an authoritarian regime in Kazakhstan, where a pervasive cult of personality surrounded him, as human rights abuses were severe, dissent was suppressed, and elections were not free and fair. In the country's first direct presidential election, held in 1991 , he appeared alone on the ballot with no opposing candidates and secured an overwhelming 98% of

4715-688: The Soviet Union to serve the post, under Dinmukhamed Kunaev , the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan . During that period, the Perestroika policies slowly began to take place under Mikhail Gorbachev while Nazarbayev himself was viewed to be more of experienced policy maker as his views and stances had already been formed during the Khrushchev Thaw and 1965 Soviet economic reform . Kazakhstan at that time

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4830-404: The Supreme Soviet voted to dissolve itself and that same day, a presidential decree was signed which set changes in local representative and executive bodies with elections of the mäslihats (local legislatures) taking place every five years and äkims (local heads) being appointed by the president. In March 1994, Kazakhstan for the first time since independence, held a legislative election which

4945-598: The accusations from critics of him personally dissolving the legislature by claiming that it was under Constitutional Court's orders, saying "the law is the law, and the President is obliged to abide by the constitution, otherwise, how will we build a rule-of-law state?" and that the cancellation of the 1996 presidential elections was made by the decision of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan arguing that "Western schemes do not work in our Eurasian expanses." In October 1997, Nazarbayev dismissed Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin from his post, which according to political experts

5060-462: The adaptation of the new Kazakh Constitution which took place in 1995 during Nazarbayev's first term. This allowed him the opportunity to run for another election as his term was set to end in 2007. On 4 December 2005, new presidential elections were held where Nazarbayev won by an overwhelming majority of 91.15% (from a total of 6,871,571 eligible participating voters). Nazarbayev was sworn in for another seven-year term on 11 January 2006. In 2006,

5175-531: The administrative and scientific centre of the STS, was renamed Kurchatov City after Igor Kurchatov , leader of the initial Soviet nuclear programme. The location of Kurchatov city has been typically shown on various maps as "Konechnaya", the name of the train station, now Degelen, or "Moldary", the name of the village that was later incorporated into the city. The Semipalatinsk Complex was of acute interest to foreign governments during its operation, particularly during

5290-453: The area around their community while they, the residents, had no need. This further cemented their belief that they must be radioactive mutants. The anti-nuclear movement in Kazakhstan , named Nevada-Semipalatinsk, was formed in 1989 and was one of the first major anti-nuclear movements in the former Soviet Union . It was led by author Olzhas Suleimenov and attracted thousands of people to its protests and campaigns which eventually led to

5405-407: The area of radiation exposure that allow those populations to understand their circumstances and the biological subjectivity of concepts like safety and their survival within an area still affected by radiation. The nation of Kazakhstan recognizes more than a million of their citizens as victims of Soviet-era radiation exposure. In one village adjacent to the test site, categorized as "minimal risk",

5520-522: The blast furnace. From there, Nazarbayev married Sara Nazarbayeva on 25 August 1962, who was a dispatcher at the same steel mill that he worked in. Together, both parties would eventually have three daughters: Dariga , Dinara and Aliya , born in 1963, 1968 and 1980, respectively. On 15 November 1962, Nazarbayev joined the Communist Party , becoming a prominent member of the Young Communist League ( Komsomol ) and full-time worker for

5635-474: The closure of the nuclear test site at Semipalatinsk in 1991. According to UNESCO , Nevada-Semipalatinsk played a positive role in promoting public understanding of "the necessity to fight against nuclear threats". The movement gained global support and became "a real historical factor in finding solutions to global ecological problems". Studies conducted by scientists from Berlin and Kurchatov took blood samples from forty different families who lived in

5750-408: The constitution that would redistribute executive powers to the parliament and ministries for the purpose of more open and efficient governance. The Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan ( Kazakh : Қазақстан Республикасы Президентінің Әкімшілігі/ Russian : Администрация Президента Республики Казахстан) reports directly to the president and aids him/her in their everyday dates. It

5865-479: The correlation between radiation exposure and thyroid abnormalities. A BBC programme claimed in 2010 that in the worst affected locations one in twenty children born were with genetic defects. British film-maker Antony Butts documented some of the genetic health impacts in his 2010 film After the Apocalypse . A recently declassified CIA report provides a first-hand witness account of the immediate impacts of

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5980-484: The country which called for Nazarbayev to stop the momentum on land sales and solve the nation's problems as well. In response to the fears of the lands being sold to foreigners, especially Chinese, Nazarbayev fired back at claims, calling them "groundless" and warned that any provocateur would be punished. On 1 May 2016, at the Kazakhstan People's Unity Day , Nazarbayev warned that without unity and stability,

6095-406: The country should change its name. After Kazakhstan faced an economic downturn of which was caused by low oil prices and devaluation of the tenge, Nazarbayev on 2 April 2014 dismissed PM Serik Akhmetov and reappointed Karim Massimov to the post. Akhmetov subsequently was appointed as a Defence Minister while Massimov's government was aimed at dealing with the economic crisis. Nazarbayev for

6210-506: The country would only benefit if Nazarbayev chooses to run for sixth term. On 19 March 2019, following unusually persistent protests in cities across the country, Nazarbayev announced his resignation as President of Kazakhstan, citing the need for "a new generation of leaders". The announcement was broadcast in a televised address in Astana after which he signed a decree ending his powers from 20 March 2019. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev , speaker of

6325-456: The country's political landscape. In 1999 , Nazarbayev was re-elected second time for what was officially recognized as his first term, as the Constitutional Council 's ruling in 2000 allowed him to run again in 2005 under the provisions of a 1995 amendment. Later, exploiting a 2007 amendment that removed term limits exclusively for Nazarbayev, he secured re-election in 2011 and 2015 , serving his fourth and fifth terms as president. In 2018,

6440-555: The course of 40 years, a quarter of all nuclear tests in history took place here. Since its closure on 29 August 1991, the Semipalatinsk Test Site has become the best-researched nuclear testing site in the world, and the only one in the world open to the public year-round. The site was selected in 1947 by Lavrentiy Beria , political head of the Soviet atomic bomb project . Beria claimed the vast 18,000 km² steppe

6555-411: The decree to close the site on the spot. The Soviet government conducted its last tests in 1989. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the site was neglected. Fissile material was left behind in mountain tunnels and bore holes, virtually unguarded and vulnerable to scavengers, rogue states, or potential terrorists. The secret cleanup of Semipalatinsk was made public in the 2010s. After some of

6670-479: The development of the state". The Parliament approved several amendments to the Constitution on 5 March 2017, making the president no longer able to override parliamentary votes of no-confidence, while giving the legislative branch to form a government cabinet, implementing state programs and policies. The move was seen as way by Nazarbayev to ensure the potential of a peaceful transfer of power. Nazarbayev, along with seventeen heads of state and government from around

6785-517: The distribution of funds" meant that infrastructure was poor, workers were demoralised and overworked, and centrally set targets were unrealistic; he saw the steel plant's problems as a microcosm for the problems for the Soviet Union as a whole. In 1984, at the age 43, Nazarbayev became the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan (Chairman of the Council of Ministers), the youngest-ever officeholder in

6900-531: The electoral results remarked, "I apologize that for superdemocratic states such figures are unacceptable. But I could do nothing. If I had interfered, I would have looked undemocratic, right?" The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe criticized the election as falling short of international democratic standards. In early 2016, it was announced that 1.7 million hectares of agricultural land would be sold at an auction. This sparked rare protests around

7015-418: The entrances covered over. In October 2012, Kazakh, Russian, and American nuclear scientists and engineers celebrated the completion of a secret 17-year, $ 150 million operation to secure the plutonium in the tunnels of the mountains. Large parts of the STS have opened up since 2014, and economic activity has resumed: mostly mining, but also agriculture and tourism. As with other areas affected by radioactivity,

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7130-414: The esophagus, stomach, lungs, breasts, and liver. These sites were found to have statistically significant increases in prevalence when compared to a control group. However some bodily sites had no significant difference in number: cervix uteri , kidney , rectum , and pancreas . The study's data suggests that there is a link between exposure length, and amount, to overall and cancer mortality. Nonetheless

7245-417: The evidence villagers cite is anecdotal, and most of the deaths were as a result of alcoholism, overdose, and other challenges that arose after a failure to adapt to a new way of life, to some left behind, it seems that the lack of radiation killed them. This has further cemented their belief that they are 'radioactive mutants'. The locals also believe that their status is backed by science. The basis of this

7360-625: The government and the jailing of opposition activists. OSCE spokesperson Cornelia Jonker criticised the lack of a "genuine choice" for voters and also argued that there were "significant restrictions to the freedom of expression." The date of Kazakhstan's fifth presidential election is June 9, 2019. It is the first election since the resignation of the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Semipalatinsk Test Site The Semipalatinsk Test Site or Semipalatinsk-21 ( Russian : Семипалатинск-21 ; Kazakh : Семей-21 , romanized :  Semei-21 ), also known as " The Polygon ",

7475-641: The government's responsibility and improving the electoral process." On 11 June 2011, Daniel Witt, Vice Chairman of the Eurasia Foundation, acknowledged the role of Nazarbayev and his political reforms: "[President] Nazarbayev has led Kazakhstan through difficult times and into an era of prosperity and growth. He has demonstrated that he values his U.S. and Western alliances and is committed to achieving democratic governance." In December 2011, opponents of Nazarbayev rioted in Mangystau , described by

7590-520: The inauguration took place at the Palace of Independence in Nur-Sultan on April 29. At the inauguration ceremony the re-elected president assured the nation that he would continue the 5 institutional reforms that he had offered earlier, which would contribute to the consistent growth and development of the country. On January 25, 2017, President Nursultan Nazarbayev laid the groundwork for reforms to

7705-553: The lack of human interference has made the STS a haven for wildlife. Residents of the test site's surrounding area in the Kazakh Steppe have been affected by the radiation and have suffered from radiation caused illnesses just as other surrounding areas have. However, unlike other communities, some Kazakhs have formed an identity around this fact. Some have even considered themselves to be a new breed of human. As they understand it, they are mutants who have grown and adapted to

7820-457: The last time ran again in the 2015 presidential election for the fifth term. From there, he gathered 97.7% of the vote share, making it one of the biggest in Kazakhstan's history. In his victory speech, he emphasized the top priority in Nurly Zhol stimulus package that was designed in softening the social blow caused by economic troubles. At a later news conference, Nazarbayev speaking about

7935-511: The maximum required age of a presidential candidate. The following day on 8 October, Nazarbayev signed decree setting the election date for January 1999. He was reelected for second term by winning 81% of the vote, defeating his main challenger and former Supreme Council chairman Serikbolsyn Abdildin . Abdildin himself in response refused to acknowledge the official results, insisting that they were falsified. In February 1999, several pro-presidential parties formed into one party named Otan . At

8050-508: The military is almost trying to convince us that these tests are beneficial to human health. We understand the necessity for the state, but there must be a thorough analysis of the environmental impact of atomic explosions, and this information should be shared with the people. In 1989, the prominent Kazakh activist Olzhas Suleimenov founded the Nevada-Semipalatinsk movement, uniting victims of nuclear testing worldwide. One of

8165-517: The minimum monthly wage in an effort "to fight organized crime." An April 1995 referendum extended Nazarbayev's term, originally set to end in 1996, to until 2000. In August 1995 , a referendum was held which allowed for greater presidential powers and established a bicameral Parliament as well. Both the elections for Mazhilis (lower house) and the Senate (upper house) were held in December 1995 which convened in January 1996. Nazarbayev dismissed

8280-517: The movement’s most significant events was a mass rally held in the village of Karaaul in the Abay district . The last explosion at the site was conducted on October 19, 1989. One of Nazarbayev’s first decisions as president of the Kazakh SSR was to close the Semipalatinsk Test Site and to fully renounce the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal. On August 29, 1991, the Kazakh SSR government closed

8395-534: The mutations that could be found in Koyaners included "a man born with webbed feet, a woman with one slightly short thumb, and several people living with vitiligo" The nature of these mutations, coupled with the fact that villagers experienced aggravated symptoms upon leaving Koyan, Koyaners insist that they have biologically adapted to and subsequently rely on the radiation. To Koyaners, the prevalence of maladapted animals emphasized their resilience and further proved

8510-462: The neighboring country. Nazarbayev dismissed the claims of hereditary succession in an interview to the Bloomberg News in November 2016, saying that the "transfer of power is spelled out by the Constitution." In January 2017, Nazarbayev proposed constitutional reforms, which would allow for the Parliament to have greater role in decision making, calling it "a consistent and logical step in

8625-664: The new PM. In 1994, Nazarbayev suggested relocating the capital city from Almaty to Astana , and the official changeover of the capital happened on 10 December 1997. In March 1995, the Constitutional Court ruled that 1994 legislative elections were held unconstitutionally and as a result, Nazarbayev dissolved the Supreme Council . From that period, all bills were adopted on the basis of presidential decrees such as outlawing any civic participation in an unregistered and/or illegal public association who would be punished with 15-day jail sentence or fines from 5 to 10 times

8740-467: The new president. The president of Kazakhstan's decorations include a breast mark and a presidential standard . The standard of the president of Kazakhstan is similar to the national flag in that it is rectangular in shape with a ratio of 1:2. In the center of the standard is the emblem of Kazakhstan . It is bordered on three sides with golden fringe. The current presidential standard has been in service as recently as 2012. The former standard, which

8855-400: The nuclear tests taking place at various sites further to the west and the south, some as far as into Karagandy Region . The Soviet Union conducted 456 nuclear tests at Semipalatinsk from 1949 until 1989 with little regard for their effect on the local people or environment. The full impact of radiation exposure was hidden for many years by Soviet authorities and has only come to light since

8970-406: The party and in 1984, he was appointed as the Prime Minister of the Kazakh SSR by Dinmukhamed Kunaev . Nazarbayev became the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan in 1989. In 1990 , he was elected as Kazakhstan's first president by the Supreme Soviet . Nazarbayev played a crucial role in opposing the 1991 coup d'état attempt by Soviet hardliners, which led to the dissolution of

9085-843: The party, while attending the Karagandy Polytechnic Institute. He was appointed secretary of the Communist Party Committee of the Karaganda Metallurgical Kombinat in 1972, and four years later became Second Secretary of the Karaganda Regional Party Committee. In his role as a bureaucrat, Nazarbayev dealt with legal papers, logistical problems, and industrial disputes, as well as meeting workers to solve individual issues. He later wrote that "the central allocation of capital investment and

9200-525: The people), the title bestowed upon him by parliament in 2010. The title was later removed due to the cancellation of the Law on the First President. Various colleagues of Nazarbayev reacted within hours of the announcement, with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev holding a telephone conversation with Nazarbayev, calling him a "great politician". In a cabinet meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Nazarbayev's leadership, even going as far as to say that

9315-501: The phase when explosions were carried out above ground at the experimental field. Several U-2 overflights examined preparations and weapons effects, before being replaced with satellite reconnaissance. The US Defense Intelligence Agency who were spying on Soviet Union, believed that the Soviets established an enormous beam weapon station at a small research station located on the testing site. This smaller research station, known to

9430-611: The post. He stated that Massimov had the "sufficient knowledge and experience" to "develop Kazakhstan's successes." On 18 May 2007, the Parliament of Kazakhstan approved a constitutional amendment which allowed the incumbent president—himself—to run for an unlimited number of five-year terms. This amendment applied specifically and only to Nazarbayev: the original constitution's prescribed maximum of two five-year terms will still apply to all future presidents of Kazakhstan. That same year in August, legislative elections were held from which

9545-410: The president's "honor and dignity shall be inviolable" and that his expenses shall be paid by the state. Item 4 of the article outlines the special status and authority of the first president, and refers to a special constitutional act for definitions. According to this act, the first president possesses total, absolute and termless immunity for all actions he performs while in office, and that he remains

9660-415: The radiation and report that they have come to rely upon it. One villager claimed that "Our organism is different... now accustomed to radiation. For many years we were exposed to radioactive fallout, and now we eat it. Slowly and quietly, our bodies got used to it. Why do you think people don't die [here], but only get a little sick?... Most of us can't live in clean air—we need radiation to survive. Clean air

9775-501: The radiation present in their home. According to unconfirmed sources, the residents' opinion, the air and the food are toxic, and the people consume this and live. They believe they must be adapting to the radiation and that is why people only get a 'little sick'. They even have begun to believe that they are so used to radiation that their bodies require it. This belief has stemmed from the fact that many individuals who left in favour of opportunities in cities have died soon after. Although

9890-531: The relationship between the level of radiation exposure and effect is still up for discussion. The full impact of radiation exposure was hidden for many years by Soviet authorities. The general consensus of health studies conducted at the site since it was closed is that radioactive fallout from nuclear testing had a direct impact on the health of about 200,000 local residents. Specifically, scientists have linked higher rates of different types of cancer to post-irradiation effects. Likewise, several studies have explored

10005-415: The resignation of the first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev . None of the presidential elections held in Kazakhstan have been considered free or fair by Western standards with issues noted including ballot tampering, multiple voting, harassment of opposition candidates and press censorship. According to Article 41 of the Constitution, an eligible presidential candidate must be a citizen of Kazakhstan who

10120-536: The site. On that day, Nazarbayev announced a special parliamentary session to discuss the site’s closure without the Soviet leadership’s consent. The session began in the morning and concluded in the evening. By the end, some deputies and officials from the Semipalatinsk Region requested additional tests to secure the informal compensation promised by Moscow. In his closing statement, the president assumed responsibility and, exercising his authority, signed

10235-585: The south, which is riddled with boreholes and drifts for both subcritical and supercritical tests. After the closure of the Semipalatinsk labour camp, construction duties were performed by the 217th Separate Engineering and Mining Battalion, who later built the Baikonur Cosmodrome . Between 1949 and the cessation of atomic testing in 1989, 456 explosions were conducted at the STS, including 340 underground borehole and tunnel shots and 116 atmospheric, either air-drop or tower shots. The lab complex, still

10350-502: The success of their own adaptations. As one Koyaner said, "the radiation exposure made everyone 'a little sick', ... but they have survived and live long lives." Semipalatinsk was the site that Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , and Uzbekistan chose for the signing of the Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone on 8 September 2006, also commemorating the 15th anniversary of

10465-439: The test site closed in 1991. According to estimates from Kazakh experts, 1.5 million people were exposed to fallout over the years. From 1996 to 2012, a secret joint operation of Kazakh, Russian, and American nuclear scientists and engineers secured some waste plutonium in the tunnels of the mountains. The Semipalatinsk Test Site saw the detonation of the first Soviet atom bomb, and the first air-tested hydrogen bomb. Over

10580-590: The test site was first made public during the Glasnost era. Before this, even the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan had neither access to the site nor any authority over its operations. According to Nazarbayev, then Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR, a few months after the Chernobyl disaster , Moscow sent an order to expand the territory of

10695-473: The tests, radioactive material remained on the now abandoned area, including significant amounts of plutonium. The risk that material might fall into the hands of scavengers or terrorists was considered one of the largest nuclear security threats since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The operation to address the problem involved, in part, pouring special concrete into test holes, to bind the waste plutonium. In other cases, horizontal mine test holes were sealed and

10810-505: The time Nazarbayev was in 10th grade, all the classes in the same grade were called off due to a student shortage and as a result in 1957, he was sent to a boarding school named after Abai Qunanbaiuly in Kaskelen . During that time, Nazarbayev's father, Äbish, wished to create favourable conditions towards his son for studying and living as well as to potentially avoid bad influence from peers by renting himself an apartment for Nazarbayev in

10925-698: The time served as the Minister of Culture, Information and Concord, the Secretary of the Security Council , replacing Marat Tazhin , on 4 May 2001. Tazhin became the Chairman of the National Security Committee , replacing Alnur Mussayev . Mussayev became the head of the Presidential Security Service. In January 2002, Prime Minister Kassym-Jomart Tokayev resigned from his post and was subsequently appointed as

11040-403: The upper house of parliament, was appointed as president of the country until the end of the presidential term. Notwithstanding his resignation as president, he continued to head the ruling Nur Otan party and remains a member of the Constitutional Council . In his televised address Nazarbayev pointed out that he had been granted the honorary status of elbasy (leader of the nation, leader of

11155-595: The village. After leaving school, Nazarbayev took up a one-year, government-funded scholarship at the Karaganda Steel Mill in Temirtau . He also spent time training at a steel plant in Dniprodzerzhynsk , and therefore was away from Temirtau when riots broke out there over working conditions. By the age of 20, he was earning a relatively good wage doing "incredibly heavy and dangerous work" in

11270-450: The vote. In 1995, he governed the country in a rule by decree , as the Supreme Council was absent. In April of that year, a presidential term referendum extended his presidency until 2000. Additionally, in August, constitutional referendum took place, significantly bolstering the executive powers through the introduction of a new draft for the Constitution of Kazakhstan . These actions consolidated Nazarbayev's authority and control over

11385-406: The votes of the constituents that took part in the election shall be deemed elected. If none of the candidates receives the above number of votes, a second round of elections shall be held between the two candidates who obtained the largest number of votes. The candidate who receives the larger number of votes of the constituents who take part in the second round of elections shall be deemed elected as

11500-409: The world, having led Kazakhstan for nearly three decades, excluding chairmanship in the Security Council after the end of his presidency. He has often been referred to as a dictator due to usurpation of power and autocratic rule. Nazarbayev began his political career in 1962, joining the Communist Party of the Soviet Union while working as a factory steel worker. He held prominent positions within

11615-712: The world, which included Felipe VI of Spain and leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries, consisting of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and India, attended the opening ceremony of Expo 2017 which was held in Astana . An estimated 3.86 million people visited the site with Nazarbayev at the closing ceremony on 10 September 2017 calling it as "Kazakhstan's most brilliant achievements since its independence." Senate Chairman Kassym-Jomart Tokayev , in an interview to BBC News in June 2018, suggested that Nazarbayev's term presidential from 2015

11730-512: Was "uninhabited". Gulag labour was employed to build the primitive test facilities, including the laboratory complex in the northeast corner on the southern bank of the Irtysh River. The first Soviet bomb test, Operation First Lightning , was conducted in 1949 from a tower at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, scattering fallout on nearby villages. The same area, "the experimental field", a region 64 km (40 mi) west of Kurchatov city,

11845-419: Was a poor labourer who worked for a wealthy local family until Soviet rule confiscated the family's farmland in the 1930s during Joseph Stalin 's collectivization policy. Following this, his father took the family to the mountains to live out a nomadic existence. His family's religious tradition was Sunni Islam . Äbish avoided compulsory military service due to a withered arm he had sustained when putting out

11960-540: Was a training exercise performed by the Comprehensive Test-Ban-Treaty Organization (CTBTO). The exercise was based around a hypothetical nuclear explosion, so CTBTO participants wore full protective gear during the exercise. Citizens of a nearby village witnessed this but were neither informed of the 'exercise' nor the reason for the outsiders' presence. As such the citizens perceived strangers having to wear protective gear to enter

12075-523: Was boycotted by the Azat and Jeltoqsan parties. From there, the pro-presidential People's Union of Kazakhstan Unity party won a majority of 30 seats with independent candidates who were on presidential-list won 42 seats. The OSCE observers called the elections unfair, reporting an inflated voter turnout. Nevertheless, the new composition of the Parliament was considered to be "professional" with different various political factions that functioned. In May 1994,

12190-481: Was elected as the first President of Kazakhstan by the Supreme Soviet . He supported Russian President Boris Yeltsin against the attempted coup in August 1991 by Soviet hardliners . Nazarbayev was close enough to Soviet general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev for Gorbachev to consider him for the post of Vice President of the Soviet Union ; however, Nazarbayev turned the offer down. However, on 29 July, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Nazarbayev discussed and decided that once

12305-559: Was established in accordance of Presidential Decree No. 2565 on October 20, 1995. It is currently based at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in the capital city of Nur-Sultan . Prior to that, it was based in Almaty . The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and other international monitors criticised the election as unfair, with issues noted including the closure of media outlets critical of

12420-407: Was in fact, the last one as he hinted the possibility that Nazarbayev would not run for re-election which was scheduled for 2020. Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abaev responded to Tokayev's statements claiming that "there's still a lot of time" for Nazarbayev to decide on whether to run for re-election pointing out that the decision will be primarily based on his. He also added that

12535-551: Was ousted in 1986 and replaced by Gennady Kolbin , an ethnic Russian, who despite his office, had little authority in Kazakhstan. Nazarbayev was named party leader and the top position (First Secretary of the Communist Party) on 22 June 1989, only the second Kazakh (after Kunayev) to hold the post. He was the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet ( head of state ) from 22 February to 24 April 1990. On 24 April 1990 , Nazarbayev

12650-622: Was reportedly met with disagreements amongst the republic's leadership. Growing frustrated over the problems within the Kazakh SSR, at the 16th Session of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan held in January 1986, Nazarbayev criticized Askar Kunayev, head of the Academy of Sciences, for not reforming his department. Dinmukhamed, Nazarbayev's boss and Askar's brother, felt deeply angered and betrayed. Kunayev went to Moscow and demanded Nazarbayev's dismissal while Nazarbayev's supporters campaigned for Kunayev's dismissal and Nazarbayev's promotion. Kunayev

12765-446: Was seen as a "power grab". In his address, he criticized Kazhegeldin over his record reforms and in his place, Nazarbayev appointed Nurlan Balgimbayev , an oil engineer who prior served as an Oil and Gas Minister. On 7 October 1998, a number of amendments were made to the Constitution of Kazakhstan in which the term of office of the president was increased from 5 to 7 years as well as term limits. The changes also removed restriction on

12880-468: Was seen as a backwater republic within the Soviet Union with its industry being heavily reliant upon rich raw materials, specifically in mining sectors and was forced upon to import its consumer goods from other Soviet republics. It faced problems especially in countryside with a need state farm repairs, as well as housing for farmers, lack of available preschools for rural children which Nazarbayev during his tenure raised issues in regard to these problems that

12995-587: Was the primary testing venue for the Soviet Union 's nuclear weapons . It is located in Zhanasemey District , Abai Region , Kazakhstan , south of the valley of the Irtysh River . The test site was part of the former Kazakh SSR . The scientific buildings for the test site were located around 150 km (93 mi) west of the town of Semipalatinsk , later renamed Semey, near the border of East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar Region . Most of

13110-709: Was used for more than 100 subsequent above-ground weapons tests. Later tests were moved to the Balapan complex by the Chagan River in the southeast of the Semipalatinsk Polygon, including the site of the Chagan test , which formed Chagan Lake . Once atmospheric tests were banned, testing was transferred to underground locations at Saryozen , Murzhik in the west, and at the Degelen mountain complex in

13225-449: Was used from 1995–2012, was a light blue rectangle there with a golden circle in which the figure of the young Kazakh leader Sakas riding a snow leopard . The Order of the Golden Eagle ( Kazakh : Алтын Қыран ордені or Altyn Qyran Order) is the highest civilian award that can be awarded by the president of Kazakhstan. Its purpose is to recognize outstanding service to the country by Kazakh and foreign citizens. As head of state ,

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