Turkestan to receive special status - Senate approves bill

Tengrinews.kz – The city of Turkestan will be granted a special status. The corresponding bill was approved by the Senate deputies on February 13.
The Senate considered two bills related to Turkestan: "On the special status of the city of Turkestan" and "On amendments and additions to certain legislative acts on issues of the special status of the city of Turkestan and cultural centers abroad."

"The main objectives of the law ‘On the special status of the city of Turkestan’ are the creation of an effective system of management, preservation, maintenance of the integrity of historical and cultural monuments and objects of historical and cultural heritage of Turkestan, as well as planning and management of archaeological and scientific restoration work on the territory of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi and its protected areas. In addition, it is important to preserve, develop, revive the historical and cultural heritage and develop national handicrafts.
In particular, in order to preserve the uniqueness of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum and prevent construction around it at a distance of one hundred meters from the boundary of the mausoleum’s security zone, the construction of objects more than seven meters high and incompatible with historical and cultural monuments in terms of scale, color and construction materials is not permitted,” said Senator Bauyrzhan Kaniev.

The Turkestan Maslikhat is vested with the authority to approve urban development regulations and design codes, rules for the formation of architectural appearance and urban planning, and the procedure for using regional symbols.
The Turkestan Akimat (local government organisation) will exercise state control in the field of protection and use of historical and cultural heritage sites on the territory of the city, coordinate activities to create and develop national handicrafts of Turkestan and its infrastructure, and reimburse part of the costs of craftsmen in the field of national handicrafts of Turkestan from the local budget.
The Turkestan Akimat is vested with the authority to coordinate the schemes and procedures for the movement of transit automobile transport through the territory of Turkestan.

"In addition, the accompanying law introduces amendments for the development of tourism, providing for equal access to tourism infrastructure for all tourists, including persons with disabilities and people with limited mobility.
Within the framework of the Land Code, amendments are being introduced in terms of granting authorized bodies of Turkestan the competence to conclude temporary free land use agreements for the period of construction of state social facilities (state comprehensive schools and preschool organizations, hospitals and clinics) on land plots provided free of charge in accordance with the Land Code and the law "On the special status of the city of Turkestan," Kaniev added.

Earlier, Mazhilis members adopted a bill on granting a special status to Turkestan in June of this year. In September, during the presentation of the bill "On the special status of the city of Turkestan," it became known that they plan to limit the construction of other objects around the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum.