Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday accepted the resignation of the country’s government, which will continue performing its duties until a new cabinet of ministers is formed.

A presidential decree, published on Wednesday, says that "in accordance with Article 70 of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I hereby resolve to accept the resignation of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan."

"Smailov Alikhan Askhanovich is to be vested with interim duties of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan," it says.

In accordance with the document, government members will continue their duties until a new cabinet of ministers is formed.

At present, Smailov holds the post of first deputy premier. The previous government was approved last January, following elections to the lower chamber of the country’s parliament. Askar Mamin was reappointed as prime minister then. He held the post since February 2019.

Tokayev declared a two-week state of emergency in the country’s largest city of Almaty and the southwestern Mangistau Province on Tuesday, the presidential administration’s press service said.

"Due to the escalation of the situation, in order to ensure public safety, restore law and order and protect rights and freedoms of citizens, the head of the state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has signed a decree to declare the state of emergency in the Mangistau Province and in the city of Almaty starting from 01:30 local time on January 5 and until 00:00 on January 19, 2022," the press service said in a statement.

Tokayev has imposed a curfew in the country’s largest city of Almaty and the southwestern Mangistau Province, according to a presidential decree released on Wednesday.

The curfew will be in place from 23:00 to 7:00 local time, as long as the previously declared state of emergency in those areas remains in force.

On January 2, people took to the streets in the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region, protesting against high fuel prices. According to them, the price per liter of liquefied gas increased to 120 tenge ($0.27) since January 1, so the demonstrators demanded to halve it, to 50-60 tenge ($0.11 - $0.13).

Source - vesnikkavkaza.net

05 January 2022 / 11:19