No, according to the Economist, which just published an article arguing that the costs of relaxing the organization’s democracy standards outweigh the benefits of drawing Kazakhstan further into the Western fold.
The sad truth is that an organisation like the OSCE can function only if its members mostly agree on most principles. That was the […]

Today the “Union of the Right”, a public association of owners of right-hand drive vehicles, released a statement in support of the opposition party that is challenging the ruling “Nur Otan” party on the parliamentary elections this August.
The movement’s chairman Anatoly Ahmetov and the only signee of the statement says that when the […]

As the parliamentary elections are approaching, the authorities are becoming more and more active in international lobbying and positive image-making. Last week I wrote about Paris-based PR firm, which gently prepares international public for invetable landslide victory of the ruling party “Nur Otan”.
However, victory requires certain conditions to be observed - and positive […]

Breaking news just coming in: Team Astana, the cycling team around Kazakhstani talent Alexander Vinokurov, has just withdrawn from the Tour de France following the positive doping test of Vinokurov himself.
Vinokurov had lost all hope of winning this year’s tour after crashing early on but has since then redeemed himself by winning two tour […]

…reads one of the slogans of the Socialist Resistance sprayed on houses in Taraz. Evidently, the young Socialist movement is still alive in places such as Taraz.
On top of these graffitis, several (well, three) of Taraz’s Socialist Resistance Movement members held a march to the presidential Nur-Otan party building a few days ago, holding […]

Here is a figure from a recent article by Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative DC think tank, that has been circulating through econoblogs:

Hassett argues that democratic countries in the 20th century had the advantage because the Soviet alternative greatly restricted the open market and thus hindered growth. This is […]

At least, that’s how the authorities try to present this campaign in public opinion - both local and international. Arthur yesterday wrote about the Kazakh embassy’s press release, in which the president, who also heads the ruling party “Nur-Otan”, is called “all-nation leader”.
Here is another example of the government’s campaigning abroad. Marston Nicholson […]

Early parliamentary election in Kazakhstan will take place on August 18. Although the Central Election Commission was quick enough to ensure inclusiveness of registration process and gave approval for the opposition’s party list, social-democrats already cry foul in the campaign.
First of all, All-National Social-Democratic party (recently merged with “True Ak Zhol” Party), which […]

From a recent Kazakhstani Embassy press release concerning the Consitutional changes:
According to a unanimous decision of all the MPs, the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the all-nation leader N. Nazarbayev is given an exclusive right and an opportunity to run for president for the third time, in addition to the legislatively […]

Judge in Shakhtinsk, central Kazakhstan, put an end to a noted and loudmouthed trial, which for more than 6 months had being carefully observed not only in our republic but from abroad also. After continued discussions, blow-ups and disputes, Magauya Judge Balapanov has passed a verdict of guilty to 8 medium-level workers for the […]