Kazakhstan Senate holds final session before transition

Kazakhstan's Senate held its final session in Astana, bringing to a close the upper chamber's 30-year history as the country prepares to transition to a unicameral parliament, the Kurultai.

The current parliament's mandate will expire on July 1 under the country's new Constitution, Caliber.Az reports, citing Kazakh media.

Elections to the new unicameral legislature are scheduled for August.

Over its three decades of operation, the Senate held more than 890 plenary sessions and passed over 3,500 laws, more than 350 of which were initiated by lawmakers.

It also conducted more than 60 parliamentary hearings, organised over 3,000 events and submitted around 3,000 parliamentary inquiries to the government.

Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev said the legislation adopted by the chamber laid the foundation for the country's political, economic and social reforms, while strengthening the rule of law and expanding citizens' rights and freedoms.

A total of 246 people served as members of the Senate during its 30-year history.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov