Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev is giving his annual address to the people at a joint session of parliament.
Since 1997, the Kazakh president has used his annual speechs to laud the country’s accomplishments during the previous year.
Since Nazarbaev’s 2011 address, Kazakhstan has been criticized by the West for holding early presidential and parliamentary elections.
2011 was also the bloodiest year in Kazakhstan’s 20-year history as an independent country.
Clashes between striking oil workers and police around the western city of Zhanaozen in December left 17 dead and several terrorist attacks by Islamic militants led to the deaths of more than 20 terrorists and law-enforcement personnel.
compiled from agency reports
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