Parliament voted unanimously to approve the next Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Karim Massimov.

UPDATE: Strangely, the President announced that Akhmetov will become Minister of Defence. Usually this is a post that does not change, and while other former-PMs serve as Ministers (Tokayev for example who was Minister of Foreign Affairs), it surely will be odd for him to report to his former deputy, particularly as no love is lost between them. Watercooler talk had expected him to move to the board of Samruk or some other well-paid and not politically key role. The other announcement is that Musin, who was made Minister of the Economy only a month or so ago, will become Deputy Prime Minister. His star is definitely rising. From city akim to Minister to Deputy Prime Minister in such a short time, particularly when he was deeply unpopular as akim and his ‘promotion’ was prompted by rioting while the President was visiting his oblast!

The session of Parliament started at 10am today (Wednesday the 10th) to name the new PM has resulted for the moment. So far there is only anti-climatic news from yesterday evening.

The Party NurOtan has chosen a candidate, and the Parliament voted to approve that candidate. Who is it? That is a secret. Now, presumably the Parliament had not yet voted officially by the time of the article, but since NurOtan holds an overwhelming majority in the Parliament of about 90%, they have likely already gurarenteed their votes.

In a press-conference last night, the only thing NurOtan would say is that the new Prime Minister of Kazakhstan will be a strong leader and an economist: (more…)

On the 9th of January, court cases began for doctors and officials implicated in the errors that led to 84 children and 12 women being infected with the HIV virus in Shymkent in Southern Kazakhstan. The infections apparently came from children’s hospitals that failed to properly test blood donors for HIV and/or reused needles. It is widely believed that hospital staff members sold new needles to raise money.

The Chief Prosecutor’s office said in a statement Tuesday that it had completed its investigations and charged 21 doctors and health officials with negligence. Some of them were also charged with bribery, extortion and theft of state funds, it said.

All cases have been transferred to court, the statement said.

At the same time (more…)