Nursultan Nazarbayev signs law on snap presidential elections in KazakhstanFebruary 2, 2011 - 16:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a law on amendments to the constitution, allowing him to hold snap presidential elections instead of a referendum on prolonging his rule until 2020, presidential press service reported. Kazakhstan's parliament on Wednesday, February 2, approved amendments to the constitution. The bill amending the constitution was unanimously approved by the parliament's two houses and was submitted to the president to be signed. "The law puts in place the constitutional framework for conducting early presidential polls," Talgat Danakov, deputy chief of presidential administration, said at the joint session of parliament. Nazarbayev, whose current term is due to expire in 2012, unexpectedly rejected a plan to hold a referendum on prolonging his rule until 2020, saying that he would instead call early presidential polls. The presidential announcement to reject the referendum plan, which had envisaged scrapping elections in 2012 and 2017, came after rare criticism of the ex-Soviet state by its Western ally the United States. The parliament last month said the controversial referendum should go ahead but the constitutional court rejected the plan later, according to AFP. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Politico: Belarus delivered advanced weapons to Azerbaijan in 2018-2022 Belarus delivered advanced weapons to Armenia’s enemy even though both countries were supposedly allies in a defense pact. Armenia Security Council chief to attend Ukraine peace summit Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan will take part in the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland. Armenian govt. approves ratification of EAEU-Iran free trade deal At a meeting on Friday, June 14, the Armenian government approved the ratification of an EAEU free trade agreement with Iran. Deputy U.S. Secretary of State to arrive in Yerevan Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma will travel to Yerevan, Armenia from June 17-19 to. |