ON THE THRESHOLD OF CHANGE

The year 2022 entered the history of Kazakhstan as the initial stage of the fundamental transformation of the whole social, political and economic structure of the country. In March, President of the country Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev delivered his state-of-the-nation address "New Kazakhstan: the Way of Renewal and Modernization", in which he proposed a new program of political reforms, as well as constitutional amendments subsequently supported by society at the last National Referendum.

His September state-of-the-nation "A Fair State. One Nation. A Prosperous Society" is already the second presidential address this year, most of which is devoted to the socioeconomic development of the country. As the name suggests, the Head of State puts emphasis on the development of the idea of the New Fair Kazakhstan as a long-term process of modernization, where the state provides equal opportunities for everyone and establishes justice.

Equality of opportunity rests on liberal values that stimulate economic activity, demonopolization and minimization of government intervention in economic processes. All branches of the national economy, in addition to the necessary technical and technological resources, will use new investment, fiscal and customs resources, which will be actively developed within the framework of the "new economic policy", which has become the cornerstone of the address.

In terms of strategic investment in the future of the country, it is necessary to mention the timeliness and priority of strengthening and developing such basic components as health, education and employment. Given today’s world realities, only this is the most correct and reliable investment.

Prudent management of the funds of the National Fund, the formation of a fundamentally new program "The National Fund for Children", the creation of favorable conditions for strengthening the educational system, providing the population with access to quality medical care - all this is driven by the idea of Kazakhstan of a new formation, which will be built by the joint efforts of the state and citizens.

In the coming years we will have to radically revise not only and not so much the content of state programs, but also the level of competence of the specialists tasked with their implementation. As K.K. Tokaev noted: "Citizens expect from government agencies actual rather than formal fulfillment of their promises". It is planned to give state agencies more competence, but the personal responsibility of political employees will increase proportionally.

On the way to the upcoming political reforms, carried out according to the formula "A strong President – an influential Parliament – an accountable Government", a complete reset of the system-forming vertical of government - the presidential power - is of paramount importance. The new political era involves replacing the existing baggage of conflict of interest of the established bureaucratic mechanism at all levels with the seedlings of civic initiative with new standards of personal and civic growth.

The electoral cycle, oriented toward activating the political initiative of the party and civic institutions, becomes a trigger, launching an institutional reset of the entire political system.

In today's realities, it is necessary that all three pillars of the state - economy, politics and society - develop and transform simultaneously and interconnectedly.

In his address to the people of Kazakhstan on September 1 this year, the Head of State emphasized: "...Our initiatives today will determine the future of Kazakhstan. Every day we choose between the old and the new, stagnation and development. I call on all of you to come together for the sake of the nation.

In order to build a fair society, every Kazakhstani must contribute to the future of the country: his or her work, knowledge and initiative.

Deputy Director of the Library of the First President  of the Republic of Kazakhstan

T.T. Shaimergenov.