The president fired the government, and more than 200 people were arrested in response to the protests

The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, fired his government on Wednesday (January 5) in response to protests against rising gas prices in the oil-rich province. The order, issued on the president’s website, indicates that Djokovic has accepted the resignation of the government led by Prime Minister Askar.

Deputy Prime Minister Alikhan Smilov will be acting caretaker Prime Minister until the new cabinet is formed. The previous day, the head of state had declared a state of emergency from January 5 to January 19 in the oil-producing region of Mangistow and the economic capital of Almaty (south-east). The curfew will be in effect from 11 pm to 7 am.

“Do not respond to provocations coming from abroad and within the country. Do not respond to calls for storm official buildings. This is a crime you deserve to be punished for. ”The 68-year-old head of state, who has been ruling the country since 2019, said.

“Old man out!” “

Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing more than 200 protesters by truck and injuring 95 others. Opponents “Let go of provocations” Blocking roads and traffic and “Disrupts public order”, Justified in the Ministry of the Interior.

On Tuesday, Stun used grenades and tear gas to disperse a crowd of several thousand in Almaty. “Old man out!” “ And “Government resigns! “. Nursultan Nazarbayev, 81, a historic leader who ruled Kazakhstan for thirty years from 1989 and maintained his influence. Tokayev was chosen as his successor.

The demonstration follows a movement of anger that has erupted in several cities since Sunday. Kazakhstan, the largest economy in Central Asia, has been accustomed to double-digit growth rates in the past and has been hit hard by falling oil prices and the economic crisis in Russia, which has led to the devaluation of the Kazakh currency, dengue and high inflation.

Two journalists from Agence France-Presse (AFP), who saw police firing to disperse a crowd in Almaty on Tuesday, counted at least 5,000 participants in the protest. WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal Messenger could not be accessed overnight.

Reducing prices in an effort to alleviate tension

On Sunday, anger erupted before the spread to liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices in the town of Janasen in the west of the country, which is rich in natural resources, before spreading to the coastal regional city of Akta. Caspian Sea.

On Tuesday evening, officials agreed to a reduction in the price of LNG, trying to calm the situation by setting it at 50 dents (0.10 euros) per liter in the region, up from 120 at the beginning of the year. Justifying this regional concession, Mr. Tokayev promised on Twitter“To ensure stability in the country”, But this promise did not lead to the dissolution of the protesters, who demanded that they speak to the President.

In the past, Janoson has been the scene of the deadliest unrest that has rocked Kazakhstan since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In 2011, at least 14 workers at an oil field were killed in a police crackdown on working conditions and wages.

The Mangistow area, where the city of Janasen is located, is dependent on LNG as the main source of fuel for cars and any increase in its price leads to food items already on the rise since the onset of the corona virus epidemic.