Kazakhstan's government resign

Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev has accepted the government’s resignation, the presidential press service said, News.Az reports citing TASS. 

"In accordance with Article 70 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan I decree: to accept the resignation of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to temporarily assign the duties of the prime minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Sklyar Roman Vasilyevich," it said.

The Cabinet members have been instructed to continue to fulfill their duties until the new government is approved.

Sklyar previously served as first deputy prime minister. Alihan Smaiylov headed Kazakhstan's government until the decree was published on Monday. The president appointed him as head of the Cabinet in January 2022 and reappointed him in March 2023 after the election to the lower house of parliament.

Earlier, Tokayev's press service reported that the president would hold an expanded government meeting on February 7 to summarize the results of the country’s socio-economic development over the past year. Some local experts did not rule out that the president may shake things up in the Cabinet of Ministers, including possibly replacing the prime minister.