EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan: Constitutional reforms open new opportunities for cooperation
Kazakhstan and the European Union continue to deepen cooperation across several key areas, including energy, transport, and human rights. In an exclusive interview with Qazinform, European Union Ambassador to Kazakhstan Aleska Simkic spoke about the outcomes of the constitutional referendum, ongoing bilateral dialogue, and prospects for strengthening partnership between Astana and Brussels.
The ambassador noted that the European Union closely followed discussions surrounding Kazakhstan’s new Constitution and the decision to hold a referendum. She highlighted the strong voter turnout and public support for the proposed changes, while stressing the importance of aligning future legislation with international commitments.
“I can congratulate the government on an impressive turnout as well as strong support for the new Constitution. I understand that new legislation will now be adopted to bring the legal framework in line with the Constitution. The only thing we as the European Union will be looking at is whether this legislation will be in line with Kazakhstan’s international commitments, and we will continue to monitor further developments,” said Simkic.
At the same time, Simkic emphasized that the Constitution is ultimately a sovereign decision of the Kazakhstani people and that the EU respects this process while maintaining constructive dialogue with the country.
“The Constitution is the decision of the Kazakh people. That is not something for the European Union to decide. What I see is that relations between the EU and Kazakhstan continue to develop in a very positive direction. We are continuing dialogues on many topics within the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the discussions are very productive,” noted European Union Ambassador.
According to the ambassador, the strength of EU-Kazakhstan relations lies in open and honest dialogue, where both sides exchange views candidly while continuing to cooperate.
“I like the fact that this is not two monologues. We really discuss issues. We have positive and negative things to say to each other, but the point is that we cooperate, and I do not see any reason why this would change in the future,” added Simkic.
Simkic also spoke about a series of EU-Kazakhstan subcommittee meetings currently taking place in Astana, describing them as part of a regular institutional dialogue under the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
“This is a regular annual process. One year it takes place in Astana and the next year in Brussels. This year we are meeting in Astana. We are happy to welcome the Head of the Central Asia Unit in the European External Action Service, who together with many people from the Kazakh government is discussing human rights, justice and home affairs, as well as energy and transport,” she said.
Energy cooperation remains one of the central topics of the dialogue, with discussions focusing both on supply security and the transition toward sustainable energy sources.
“On energy, we are talking about two things. First, energy security for both Kazakhstan and the European Union. Of course, for us, Kazakhstan is an important energy supplier, with oil that we receive from the country. I think about 12% of all our oil needs are now coming from Kazakhstan, and we would like to strengthen this cooperation,” added European Union Ambassador.
At the same time, the ambassador highlighted growing interest in cooperation on renewable energy and climate-related initiatives:
“And the second part on energy is very much green energy, so we are talking about the sustainability agenda and about where we can cooperate on renewables, on green hydrogen, and on other topics.”
Looking ahead, Simkic stressed that the European Union views Kazakhstan as an important partner within its multi-vector foreign policy and in broader multilateral cooperation. She added that cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU extends beyond economic issues to global challenges such as peace and stability.
“We continue strong cooperation in multilateral forums, including within the United Nations, the OSCE, and other international organizations. I think we share similar views, although we may have different perspectives. I am convinced that beyond all the areas mentioned, transport, climate, and energy, we also have much to discuss when it comes to peace and global stability. And here I believe Kazakhstan and the European Union share the same positions and are strong partners,” said Simkic.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Dr. Riccardo Pelizzo, Acting Dean and Professor at Nazarbayev University’s Graduate School of Public Policy, views the 2026 constitutional referendum in Kazakhstan as a clear success.
