Kazakhstan: a night of mass protests and the resignation of the government

Yesterday, large-scale demonstrations were held in Kazakhstan, the participants of which demanded lower prices for liquefied gas.

The demonstrations began on January 2, when gas prices increased from 50 -60 tenge to 120. On January 4, protests became more widespread, crowds of protesters were seen in Almaty and Aktau, other cities of the country.

Large-scale riots broke out in Almaty. Demonstrators smashed police cars and clashed with law enforcement officers. According to press reports, military equipment entered the city, but the demonstrators drove it away. There were also reports that the Internet and cellular communications were blocked.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev said on January 4 that the government would not fall and introduced a state of emergency in the Mangistau region and the city of Almaty from 5 to 19 January. Tokayev also promised to take into account all the legitimate requests of the demonstrators.

However, on the morning of January 5, it became known that the President of Kazakhstan had accepted the resignation of the government, which was one of the demands of the protesters.

In the presidential decree Tokayev is written that he signed a decree on the resignation of the government, whose members will continue to carry out their duties until the approval of the new cabinet of ministers.