How public transport will operate on August 23 in Almaty

Tengrinews.kz — Residents and visitors of Almaty will be able to use public transport free of charge on August 23, the day of the Kurultai parliamentary election.

“Free travel on buses, trolleybuses and the metro”

According to Almaty’s Department of Traffic Management and Passenger Transport, fares will not be charged on any of the city’s public transport routes. Travel on buses, trolleybuses and the metro will be free.

The measure has been introduced to ensure convenient travel for residents and visitors of the city on election day.

The department recommends planning trips in advance for August 23 and using public transport whenever possible.

Kurultai elections

As a reminder, the election to the Kurultai, Kazakhstan’s unicameral Parliament, is scheduled for August 23. Seven political parties have been approved to take part, with 546 candidates on their lists.

The transition to a unicameral Parliament became one of the key elements of the constitutional reform. The draft of the new Constitution stipulated that the Kurultai would consist of 145 deputies serving five-year terms.

We also previously examined the powers of the new Kurultai. These include overseeing the work of the government, hearing reports from ministers, the ability to pass a vote of no confidence in the government, and participating in the appointment of key officials.

The idea of reforming Parliament was presented at a meeting of the National Kurultai in Kyzylorda. It was announced at the time that the new model would eliminate the presidential quota and the quota of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, while retaining quotas for young people, women and people with special needs.

Earlier, it was announced that all public transport in Astana, including the LRT, will also be free on August 23.