Astana, October 25, 2024 – The Europe Today: Today, Kazakhstan celebrates Republic Day, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty on October 25, 1990, a pivotal event in the country’s path toward independence. This historic declaration by the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR established the foundation for Kazakhstan as a sovereign state, laying out key principles such as territorial integrity, national identity, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
Bolat Zhanadilov, one of the deputies of the Supreme Council’s 12th convocation, recalls the challenges in securing Kazakhstan’s sovereignty, particularly when drafting the declaration, and later, the Law on Independence, which formalized Kazakhstan’s separation from the Soviet Union. Reflecting on the landmark decision, Zhanadilov said, “The Declaration of State Sovereignty was our first official step. It was a defining moment when we answered those who questioned the need for independence by asserting that Kazakhstan is our one and only Motherland.”
Byrganym Aitimova, former Minister of Education and Science and another key figure from the convocation, described the intense deliberations surrounding the Declaration. “It was a complex process,” she stated, “as we were breaking new ground and discussing our national interests at a time when we were still part of the Soviet Union. There were heated debates, but everyone contributed, and some even proposed bold decisions, such as withdrawal from the Union.”
Republic Day was added to Kazakhstan’s list of state holidays in 2001 but was later removed in 2009 under a decree by the country’s first president. In 2022, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for its reinstatement, which was formalized by amendments to Kazakhstan’s legislation. Now celebrated as a national holiday, Republic Day stands alongside December 16, Independence Day, as key dates honoring Kazakhstan’s sovereignty and statehood.
Today, in his Republic Day address at a state award ceremony, President Tokayev reaffirmed the significance of the Declaration of State Sovereignty, marking it as the cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s independence journey.
