OSCE Centre supports seminar on enhancing role of political parties in Kazakhstan

SEMEY, Kazakhstan, 16 April 2014 – Promoting the role of political parties in parliamentary activities in Kazakhstan is the main topic of a two-day seminar supported by the OSCE Centre in Astana. The event, which brought together 25 representatives of national political parties and civil society, began today in Semey, eastern region of Kazakhstan.

The seminar aims to enhance the professional competency of the political parties’ regional management on organizational, legislative, financial and public relations aspects of party-building as well as the parties’ representation in the parliament and local self-government bodies. It will also promote the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments with respect to institutionalizing a multiparty system and creating an environment, in which parties can effectively perform their essential democratic functions.

Emphasizing the important role of parties in political plurality and strong democracy, Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, Ambassador Natalia Zarudna stressed that “the OSCE views the political parties as an essential tool to ensure the implementation by the participating States of their commitments, particularly in the human dimension.”

“This is why Centre in Astana facilitates dialogue and exchange of best practices to ensure a favorable legal environment for political parties’ activities in compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards.”

Zauresh Battalova, President of the Public Foundation for Parliamentary Development in Kazakhstan, added: “The majority of political parties demonstrated their organizational weakness and lack of close ties with their supporters. The failure to properly plan and carry out effective campaigning both during and between elections resulted to a certain extent from insufficient experience and expertise in party-building.”

This is the second in a series of three OSCE-supported workshops for political party representatives to be organized this year in partnership with the NGO Public Foundation for Parliamentary Development. The previous workshop was held in Ust-Kamenogorsk and the next will take place in Pavlodar.

The event is part of the Centre’s long-term efforts to support political plurality in Kazakhstan.

During her visit to Semey, Ambassador Zarudna also met with Zauresh Isabayeva, the Deputy Akim (Mayor), to discuss co-operation on good governance, rule of law, environmental, economic and other issues. She delivered a lecture at Semey State University on the OSCE’s role in addressing security threats, risks and challenges in Central Asia.