Maulen Ashimbaev, the Speaker of the Senate, emphasized during the final plenary session of the chamber this year that the Parliament had passed a total of 92 laws in 2023, with significant implications for the political, economic, and social spheres of the country.
Ashimbaev stated that 2023 was a year of substantial change and believed it marked a period of genuine political modernization within the framework of constitutional reforms under the President’s leadership.
“This year, constitutional amendments relating to Parliament were implemented. As a result of these constitutional reforms, the role of the chambers of Parliament has been enhanced. The legislative procedure has evolved, with laws being considered using new methodologies,” said the Senate Speaker.
He recollected that at the start of 2023, the Head of State appointed 10 Senate deputies by decree, including five nominees from the ANC for the first time. Regular elections of Senate deputies also took place in the regions, leading to a significant refreshment of the upper house of Parliament.
“In January, the President issued a decree to dissolve the Mazhilis of Parliament; the Senate dutifully performed the functions of Parliament for two months,” Ashimbaev recalled. “In total, Parliament passed 92 laws this year, ensuring the country’s political stability and sustainable socio-economic development.”
The laws included constitutional legislation on judicial system issues, the prosecutor’s office activities, and administrative reform matters. The adoption of the new Social Code was particularly noteworthy. Additionally, several critical laws were enacted, such as those relating to the return of illicitly obtained assets to the state and public control.
“We approved the country’s main financial document last month – the Republican budget for 2024-2026,” concluded Maulen Ashimbaev.
On December 27, 2023, the Mazhilis held its final plenary meeting of the year. Erlan Koshanov, the Speaker of the chamber, also reviewed the deputies’ work over the year.
