Heads of regional authorities in Kazakhstan to be elected by people

The Kazakh parliament passed the law on "Amendments and supplements to some Kazakh legislative acts on the development of local self-governing" which envisages election of the heads of regional authorities, Novosti-Kazakhstan reported.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev, the law will ensure the implementation of the constitutional right of citizens to govern the region through meetings and gatherings, as well as elect heads of regions, districts and villages.

He also noted that the bill envisages involvement of local people into control over budgetary funds allocated to the local projects.

The law will increase the financial and economic independence of lower-level governors in decision making on local issues. The regional governors will on their own determine the sources of revenues including revenues from rent of local authorities' property, voluntary, charitable and sponsor contributions, certain types of fines, fees for outdoor advertising, and other sources which do not contradict the law.

The local self-government program is expected to be implemented in two phases: the first in 2013-2015 and the second in 2015-2020.

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