Interparliamentary Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Belgium to Gain New Momentum, DKNews.kz reports.
At the Palace of the Nation in Brussels, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium Roman Vassilenko met with Mr. Peter De Roover, President of the Chamber of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Belgium.
The parties discussed the current state and prospects of inter-parliamentary cooperation as an important channel of political dialogue and strengthening trust between Kazakhstan and Belgium. They stressed the importance of regular contacts between members of parliaments, relevant parliamentary committees, as well as the intensification of friendship groups, was emphasized.
Roman Vassilenko informed his counterpart about the key points of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s State of the Nation Address. Particular attention was paid to the initiative on parliamentary reform, which represents a logical continuation of the four packages of democratic transformations carried out in 2019-2021 and the constitutional reform of 2022.
“The proposed parliamentary reform is a response to a persistent public demand. The idea of a unicameral parliament has been under discussion in Kazakhstan for more than 20 years. This confirms the effectiveness and depth of President Tokayev’s approach to building a «Listening State»,” the Ambassador noted. He also emphasized that holding a national referendum on the reform demonstrates the President’s consistent principle: on key issues of the country’s future, decisions must be made by society through broad public debate and consensus.
“The creation of a unicameral parliament will make the legislative process more open and understandable for citizens, strengthen trust in state institutions, and increase the resilience of the democratic system,” the diplomat added.
Mr. Peter De Roover, the President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium, commended the political and institutional transformations in Kazakhstan, expressing support for the country’s aspiration towards democratization, sustainable development, and strengthening the rule of law. He noted that a similar process to abolish the Senate has been launched in such a federative state as Belgium where it is considered that one directly elected chamber is sufficient to represent the interests of all the voters and regions.
“We support the intensification of inter-parliamentary cooperation between our countries. This contributes to better mutual understanding, development of partnership, and expansion of practical cooperation in the interests of the citizens of both states,” noted Mr. De Roover.
As the meeting’s results, the parties agreed to continue working on a joint calendar of activities for 2025-2026, including mutual visits, thematic round tables, and joint initiatives at international inter-parliamentary platforms.
