Deputies made great contribution to build a system of parliamentarism in Kazakhstan - Finance & Budget Committee Chairwoman G. Karagusova
From a little-known Soviet republic Kazakhstan became a full-fledged member of the international community taking an active part in the work of the most influential international organizations.
In an interview with Kazinform Chairman of Finance and Budget Committee of the Majilis of the Kazakhstan's Parliament Gulzhana Karagusova tells about the role of the Parliament in the development of sovereign Kazakhstan and its work on further improvement of the national legislation.
What has changed for the legislative power since Kazakhstan gained independence?
The history of parliamentarism goes back to 1991 - the year of declaration of sovereignty. As a result of the referendum as of August 30, 1995 a new constitution of Kazakhstan was adopted, which not only proclaimed the principle of separation of powers, but established a specific system of checks and balances, legally enshrined the transition to a presidential form of government, and there was also created a professional bicameral parliament.
It's worth noting that deputies of all four convocations have made a great contribution to build a system of parliamentarism in Kazakhstan. A major role here belongs to the deputies who were directly involved in the constitutional reform of 2007, as a result of which the Parliament secured a number of supervisory powers in relation to the executive power and the right to coordinate appointment of senior government officials. The reform of 2007 was an evidence of the positive dynamics of institutionalization of parliamentarism in Kazakhstan and maturity of Kazakhstan's democracy.
In any country finance and budget are the bedrock of the state. Tell us about the work of the committee you head?
The Committee on Finance and Budget has been working since the early days of the bicameral parliament. The structure of the Majilis consisting of six committees was approved at a plenary sitting on January 30, 1996. Before talking about the work of the committee, I would like to recall that during the years of independence Kazakhstan saw dramatic changes in all spheres of life. Presently, Kazakhstan is recognized by the international community as an equal partner. To some extent this happened thanks to the success in the economic development of our country. Finance and Budget Committee of the Majilis played a big role in this success.
The Committee on Finance and Budget exercises legislative functions, preliminary consideration and preparation of issues in the following areas: budget, banking, financial and credit, insurance legislation, etc. The Committee's priorities were established in accordance with the strategic goals outlined in the Kazakh President's annual addresses.
What laws enacted by the Parliament do you consider important for the country's economic and social development?
The most significant are the laws on the national budget. Another important aspect in the work of the Parliament is the consideration of reports on execution of the country's main financial document. Draft laws on budgetary relations, budget system and budget process; on the issues of taxation; on customs affairs; on insurance activity; on currency regulation and currency control are also relevant.
If we talk about our committee, the most important for us are all budgetary issues: adjustments to the budget figures in line with the changing situation in the economy and the financial sector, improving intergovernmental relations, supervision of execution of the republican budget and other.
Could the deputies influence the general and specific budgetary framework?
The deputies always put forward their suggestions to allocate fresh funds to back the most important facilities and programs. For example, when we considered the draft republican budget for 2010-2011 the deputies inserted amendments on extra-budgetary resources up to KZT 10 bln for construction and reconstruction of drinking water supply facilities. Besides, the deputies moved amendments to the draft 2011-2013 budget on devoting extra-budgetary resources for construction and reconstruction of educational facilities up to KZT 6 bln, and KZT 5 bln for construction and modernization of medical facilities.
For the past few years Kazakhstan's economy underwent tremendous changes within transition to market economy. Those reforms were followed by corresponding changes of the regulatory framework. What issues were complicated most?
Over a period of four convocations the Parliament's Finance and Budget Committee reviewed 400 draft laws on the most important financial matters of the country. Every year the deputies note the fulfilling of requirements of transparency, efficiency and proper use of budgetary funds leaves much to be desired. Multiple specifications of the budget revenues and redeployment of funds for the reason of their non-disbursement bespeak of the problems. Considering the draft budget the deputies drew out problematic issues and imperfection of budget planning. Some of them were solved along with the Government. The President's Address in February, 2008 was a significant event in shaping the country's tax policy and improvement of tax legislation. The President charged to develop a new Tax Code to contribute to modernization and diversification of economy, and to avoid illegal business. As a result, the new Tax Code was adopted in 2008. The tax legislation is being improved. We keep on adopting numerous amendments to the Tax Code in most cases they concern tax administration.
I'd like to note to date the deputies of the fourth convocation, the Government and all public bodies face new tasks and challenges. The present budgetary policy should be aimed at economic post-crisis development and the same time at settlement of the most important tasks of industrial and innovation development. Threat it is essential to provide long-term equity and soundness of budget system at large. In order to handle the current situation the Parliament took for consideration and passed a serious package of legislative acts that laid the legal foundation to have them settled. Those acts encompass stable financial system, taxation, improvement of budgetary process, collective investment and pension savings funds, approval and specification of the draft budget
What else are the deputies, in particular, members of the Finance and Budget Committee, engaged in?
We take an active part in roundtables, workshops, conferences, parliamentary hearings, visiting conferences and governmental hours. The deputies quite often visit regions to meet the voters. Members of our committee appear in mass media, receive the people in the Majilis. For the past 15 years the deputies gave consideration to a great number of the people's appeals. Then the deputies sent inquiries and written requests to the central executive and other state bodies.
Developing international cooperation our deputies participate in parliamentary meetings abroad and meet representatives of international organizations, CIS Interparliamentary Assembly in Saint Petersburg.
Above 5 mln people backed the initiative to hold the referendum on extending the powers of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. What is the reason of the most outspoken backing of the idea on the referendum?
The Parliament members voiced support to the idea of holding the referendum on extension of the President's mandate through 2020, initiated the necessary constitutional amendments. Such a wide support of the idea, to my thinking, is due to people's awareness of the need to promoting democratic reforms, pursuing of the balanced social and foreign policy, planned development of the national economy. And all of this is wedded with the name of the 1st President of Kazakhstan -Leader of the Nation Nursultan Nazarbayev. That's why the people, supporting the initiative, express their will as enshrined in the constitution to get firm guarantees of the invariability of the course the country has embarked upon. The fact that this course set in the Kazakhstan 2020 Strategy and other government documents, initiated by the Head of State leads to prosperity and stability is certain.
Thank you for the interview.