5 October 1999
MOLOTOV COCKTAIL BLAST IN OFFICE OF CANDIDATE TO KAZAKH PARLIAMENT.
Correspondents of RFE/RL report from Almaty that on October 4 at 5:00 a.m. a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the office of Daulet Qazybekov, a candidate to Kazakh Parliament's Lower Chamber � Mazhilis. No casualties are reported. The premises of the office were significantly destroyed. Daulet Qazybekov told correspondents of RFE/RL that the hand-made grenade might have been thrown by supporters of his rivals. The elections to the Mazhilis are scheduled for October 10. Mr. Qazybekov is registered for the elections as a candidate from the Promyshlennaya electoral district in the former Kazakh capital. It is reported that there have been 109 cases of violation of the law registered officially at the Kazakh Central Election Commission since the beginning of the pre-elections campaign.
21 VEK NEWSPAPER AGAIN FACES PROBLEMS.
Correspondents of RFE/RL report from the former Kazakh capital that an independent newspaper called 21 Vek (21st Century) has started facing problems similar to those faced by the newspaper last year. Several policemen entered the office of the newspaper on October 4 and started listing the newspaper's property, explaining that the action was in accordance with a decision of the Almaty City Court. It was also learned that the newspaper's bank account in Almaty's Nurbank was frozen. The leader of the police group, Aidyn Qaydarov, told the editors of the newspaper that an investigation is underway into activities connected with the tax payments made by the newspaper.'s But the newspaper staff told correspondents of RFE/RL that the action was an attempt to "warn" the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Bigeldy Gabdullin, who had been registered as a candidate to the Kazakh Parliament's Lower Chamber (Mazhilis).
EDITOR OF ONE MORE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER COMPLAINS.
Sharip Quraqpayev, Editor-In-Chief of the DAT newspaper, told correspondents of RFE/RL that he is facing many problems with state-run TV channels and radio stations, as a candidate to Kazakh Parliament. According to Mr. Quraqpayev, the main TV channel of Kazakhstan, called Khabar and run by Darigha Nazarbayeva, daughter of the Kazakh President, allocated a "very bad time" for the 15-minute speech he gave on the eve of the Parliamentary elections.
AGRARIAN PARTY HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE.
Leaders and activists of the Kazakh Agrarian party held a press conference on October 5, at which they told journalists about their intention to broaden the number of its members in the nearest future. They also said that the Agrarian Party was not supporting either the Kazakh government nor the opposition, adding that the party "tries to stay aloof from any sort of scandals". There are about 30,000 Agrarian Party members currently. According to the party's leaders, about 44 per cent of all voters in Kazakh villages and farms would support them in the Parliamentary elections. Agrarian Party leaders think that about 12 million tons of wheat will be harvested in Kazakh fields this year. They announced that one of the main goals of the Party was to adopt a law according to which the land in Kazakhstan would never be sold.
KAZAKH POLITICIAN CRITICIZES PARLIAMENT.
Kazakh politician Khasen Qozhakhmet, known as a leader of Azat movement, held a press conference on October 3, where he said that he was not going to take part in the Parliamentary elections, since, as he said that "in the current circumstances the Parliament has no significant role in the social life of Kazakhstan". He announced about his intention to continue his political activities after the elections, adding that a new party called Otanshyldar (Lovers of the Fatherland) would be led by him. The Otanshyldar party was announced as having been established earlier in January this year.
OSCE CHAIRMAN VISITS KAZAKHSTAN.
Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Knut Vollebaek, started his official visit to Kazakhstan on 4 October, RFE/RL correspondents report from Astana. He met in Astana with Chairman of the Senate Omirbek Baigeldy in the morning of October 4 and wasplanning to meet with President Nursultan Nazarbayev and acting Prime Minister Qasymzhomart Toqayev later in the day. The Chairman of the OSCE visited other Central Asian countries before he came to Kazakhstan. The official visit takes place just a week ahead of elections to the Majlis, lower chamber of Kazakh Parliament.
CANDIDATE TO THE MAJLIS ACCUSES OFFICIAL OF VIOLATING THE LAW.
Serik Abdrahmanov, well-known politician and candidate to the Majlis, lower chamber of Kazakh Parliament, held a press conference on October 4. He accused the governor of the Raimbek district of Almaty oblast of violating the law. According to Mr. Abdrahmanov, governor Sabanchiyev in a private meeting said to him that he has no chance to win, because Mrs. Berkimbayeva, the other candidate takin part in the same election district in accordance with the pre-prepared list, will win anyway. Serik Abdrahmanov said said he had been shadowed for several days. Mr. Abdrahmanov considers he is being pressured by officials.
RESIGNATION OF BALGYMBAYEV IS A VICTORY FOR OTAN PARTY- PARLIAMENT CHAIRMAN.
Chairman of the Majlis - the lower chamber of Kazakh Parliament - and one of the leaders of the Oyan party, Marat Ospanov, called the resignation of the former Prime Minister Nurlan Balgymbayev from his office a victory for Ospanov�s party. Otan, which is being considered a pro-presidential party, previously demanded on several different occasions the resignation of Balgymbayev from office.