Re-establishing «undeservedly forgotten» Day of Republic
On June 16, 2022, President Tokayev voiced the idea of returning the status of a national holiday to the undeservedly forgotten Republic Day during the first National Kurultai (Congress) in the Ulytau Region.
Photo: akorda.kz
Tokayev said back then that the adoption of the Declaration on State Sovereignty on October 25, 1990, was a countdown for Kazakhstan’s path to independence.
«This year we are celebrating Republic Day in a new way, and it has become a national holiday. I am confident that this initiative will be widely supported in society and become a good tradition. Republic Day is a bright holiday designed to raise the spirit of the people, strengthen statehood, and consolidate our unity and solidarity,» said Tokayev in his congratulatory statement on October 25.
October 25 was declared a national holiday by a decree from October 18, 1995. But after six years, on December 13, 2001, the status of Republic Day was changed to a state holiday before it was entirely abolished in 2009.
The roots of Republic Day go back to October 25, 1990, when the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic) adopted the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Kazakh SSR. It established the fundamental principles of sovereign statehood - unitary state, integrity, indivisibility and inviolability of its territory, revival and development of culture, traditions, the language and strengthening of national identity.
The development of the document, which laid the groundwork for formalizing the state independence of Kazakhstan, took place in the conditions of economic and political chaos in the Soviet Union.
«The development and adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty by the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR took place in the difficult conditions of the political, social and economic crisis that the Soviet Union was facing. The growth of national self-consciousness sharpened the conflict between the Soviet center and the national republics,» said Doctor of Law Indira Aubakirova in one of her latest interviews.
The declaration, which consisted of 17 paragraphs, for the first time announced that a democratic state governed by the rule of law is the goal of the country's development. For the first time in the legal act of a socialistic state, there was no class approach to the definition of the state basis and the notions such as workers, peasants and intelligentsia were excluded.
The declaration declared the people of Kazakhstan to be the sole bearer of sovereignty and source of state power in the Kazakh SSR.
The principle of division of the state power into legislative, executive, and judicial was proclaimed. The president of the Kazakh SSR was the head of the republic and had supreme administrative-executive power. Legislative power was exercised by the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR, while supreme judicial power belonged to the Supreme Court of the Kazakh SSR.
In addition, it stipulated that Kazakhstan could independently resolve issues of foreign economic activity. The declaration rightly designated the property as the basis of the sovereignty of the republic and attributed the land and natural resources, cultural and historical values of the people, and economic, scientific and technical potential as the exclusive property of the republic. The republic was endowed with the right to establish a state national bank, subordinated only to the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR, its own financial and credit system, and independent formation of the state budget, tax, and customs systems.
The celebration was very festive this year, both in Kazakhstan and abroad. In honor of Republic Day, athletes of the capital launched a patriotic sports challenge celebrating the country’s sports victories.
The Astana Opera Theatre hosted a festive event with the participation of the President. The concert program included performances by famous Kazakh artists, opera singers, choreographic groups, and the symphony orchestra.
Photo: akorda.kz
Eight major concerts to celebrate the occasion took place in the country. The largest one was in Astana on the territory of the EXPO.
Kazakhstan is now a young and independent state, successfully developing its economy and moving forward along the road of reforms and transformations toward prosperity and stability. But thousands of people fought for the freedom of our country, and many gave their lives for the future of their homeland and at a challenging time like this, people should cherish the sovereignty and independence of their country and remember what it took to gain it.
Written by Assel Satubaldina