Tokayev agrees to add reinstatement of Kazakh capital's former name to constitutional amendments

NUR-SULTAN. Sept 13 (Interfax) - The parliament call for reinstating the former name of the Kazakh capital, Astana, has been included in draft constitutional amendments, which are being considered by the Constitutional Council, Kazakh presidential press secretary Ruslan Zheldibay said.

"As you know, a group of parliament deputies has proposed the reinstatement of the Kazakh capital's former name, Astana. The president has been informed about the initiative of the deputies, who acted on the basis of proposals repeatedly put forward at meetings with the population and in numerous applications from citizens received in the referendum period. The parliament proposal has been added to the constitutional bill with the consent of the head of state," Zheldibay said on a social network on Tuesday.

"At the same time, the president views as a historical fact the decisive role played by [former Kazakh President Nursultan] Nazarbayev in the strengthening of modern statehood of Kazakhstan and the establishment of its capital," he said.

"Other sites named after the first president should retain their names," Zheldibay said.

The Zhana Kazakhstan (New Kazakhstan) group of deputies has proposed that the Kazakh capital go back to its former name, Astana.

The Kazakh capital was renamed Nur-Sultan in March 2019 at the initiative of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in honor of First Kazakh President Nazarbayev.