Provocateurs of land sales protests must be punished – President

Taking the floor at XXIV session of the Kazakhstan People’s Assembly being held under the slogan “Independence. Accord. Nation of Common Future,” the President noted that widespread information regarding sale of Kazakh lands is false.

“Several times it was clarified, by me too, that these rumors are not true. I would like to say again that the issue of selling agricultural lands to foreign residents and companies is out of question,” Nursultan Nazarbayev said.

"All the speculations around this question are groundless. Provocateurs must be exposed and punished as per the national legislation," he added.

“Even if an LLP possessing a parcel of Kazakhstani land attracts foreign investors and sells them shares, this land is subject to lease only. Today, our farmers and agrarians get an opportunity to possess a land. Earlier, we set a 10-year period of leasing. Bu we realized that no one can return their money in such a short period of time, especially foreign investors. For this reason, we prolonged this term to 25 years. In Russia, this period makes 49 years, in the UAE – 99 years and in Europe – 49-50 years. What wrong did you see here? The majority of those who protest this issue is not aware of agriculture and does not know where these lands are,” explained the Head of State.

The Leader of the Nation charged the Ministry of National Economy Erbolat Dossayev “to clarify the amendments everywhere and to everyone”

“Land is our main wealth left by our ancestors. It is Kazakhstan’s biggest domain. Kazakh land belongs to the people. It took me eight years to negotiate and demarcate state borders with all our neighbor countries. We have passed a long way and have adjusted our borders,” N.Nazarbayev concluded.