As reported by Ukrainska Pravda, Kazakh opposition initiates a nationwide referendum on withdrawal from the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Community (EAC). The meeting of initiative group on referendum took place last Saturday. Around 500 delegates from all regions of Kazakhstan took part in this meeting.
According to Kazakh national legislation, all documents adopted during the meeting should be transfered to the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan, which, after verification has to issue the signature sheets for the referendum. In order to have the referendum the intitiatiators have to obtain at least 200 thousand signatures.
Earlier the Vice-Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Mr. Kairat Kelimbetov criticized the Customs Union.
“Before creation of the Customs Union we had more or less stable prices for consumer goods. Now the price is higher. Why? Because together we have closed our markets from China. The population reasonably ask: why do we need the Customs Union if the prices grow up? But here we have to show the benefits. Answering that we are creating and constructing something together, we are doing something in common”, – he said.
“The Europeans have Airbus project, while France and Germany could manufacture the aircraft individually. Do we have such projects? For now only couple of unfinished automobile factories. There should be something what really brings us closer”, – Mr. Kelimbetov told.
The decision on creation of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was adopted in 2006.
