Kazakhstan’s Qurultay to create council for cooperation with maslikhats
Deputies have voted to establish a council for cooperation with maslikhats under Kazakhstan’s first Qurultay, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to deputy Amirbek Ospanbekov, the new council will create a permanent mechanism for cooperation between the Qurultay and the regions.
“Maslikhats, as local representative bodies, work directly with the public, understand the specific needs of their regions, and see firsthand how the laws we adopt are implemented. The council for cooperation with maslikhats is intended to provide a permanent mechanism for this interaction,” he said.
The council’s key task will be to ensure that maslikhats regularly contribute to the legislative process and provide feedback on how laws are implemented at the local level.
As part of this work, the council will develop proposals to improve legislation on local government and self-government, as well as address issues related to regional development.
Monitoring the practical implementation of laws will also be a major focus of its work.
“It is important not only to adopt effective laws but also to understand how they work in practice. Information from maslikhats on problems with implementing existing legislation will be analyzed and systematized, while their proposals will be submitted for further consideration. This will help identify issues common to several regions and develop proposals for improving legislation,” Ospanbekov said.
The council will also work to identify and share successful regional practices, while giving district and regional-level city maslikhats an opportunity to submit proposals directly and take part in discussions.
Thematic working groups may also be formed to address specific issues, including maslikhat budgets and powers, infrastructure, and social policy. Discussions may involve Qurultay and maslikhat deputies, experts, civil society representatives, government agencies, and other organizations.
The council is expected to include representatives of the Qurultay’s standing committees, deputies with experience working in or with maslikhats, representatives of political parties and government bodies, as well as the heads of maslikhats from the regions, the capital, and cities of republican significance.
A secretariat comprising four Qurultay deputies will maintain regular contact with the regions, with each deputy responsible for five regions. It will collect and systematize proposals and requests from maslikhats and keep the regions informed about their consideration and outcomes.
Analytical support will be provided by the Institute of Parliamentarism, which will review proposals, identify common regional issues, and develop recommendations based on monitoring how laws are implemented in practice.
Earlier, deputies of the Qurultay approved the regulations, which define the procedure and timing of sessions of the new legislative body.
