Nazarbayev meets with public in Astana

    Despite of the revision to the national budget, this year's wages and social benefits will remain at their existing level, President Nursultan Nazarbayev said at at public meeting, according to an Ak Orda press release.
    "Over the years of independence, the people of Kazakhstan have made great achievements which our citizens admire and surprise our guests from around the world. Kazakhstan has gained the respect of all other states. The fact that we have signed the documents on the completion of talks over an expanded Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, as well as documents for the completion of bilateral negotiations between Kazakhstan and the EU regarding our country's accession into the World Trade Organisation, shows the European Union's trust in our country,” he declared.
    Nazarbayev also noted that Kazakhstan is the only country in the Central Asian region to be invited to participate in the Asia-Europe Forum in Milan.
    He added that today, many countries are facing major challenges related to the difficult global economy.
    “The mutual sanctions on part of Russia and the European countries, as well as the situation in Ukraine are negatively affecting the process of acute instability. Russia is our strategic partner, our next door neighbor, with whom we have close ties. The worsened situation in the Russian economy could indirectly affect Kazakhstan,” Nursultan Nazarbayev said, according to Kazinform.