Kazakhstan-EU Gateway had the honour of participating in the inaugural event of the Shanyraq Dialogues, a new platform for policy discussion dedicated to developments in Kazakhstan and their implications for engagement with the European Union.
The first dialogue focused on Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Referendum: Political Transformation, Institutional Rebalancing and Implications for Relations with the EU. The discussion addressed Kazakhstan’s upcoming nationwide referendum scheduled for 15 March 2026, which proposes the adoption of a new Constitution aimed at recalibrating the balance of powers and strengthening mechanisms of accountability within the country’s political system. Keynote remarks were delivered by H.E. Mr. Roman Vassilenko, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union. The panel also featured Mr. Georgi Gotev, founder and editor of EUalive.
Participants exchanged views on the motivations behind the proposed constitutional reform, the structural differences between the new framework and the current constitutional model, and the potential implications for governance, political pluralism, and institutional checks and balances. The discussion also considered how these developments may shape Kazakhstan’s engagement with the European Union and its evolving role in Central Asia and the wider international context.
The event marked the launch of the Shanyraq Dialogues as a forum for structured yet open exchange on Kazakhstan and its international partnerships. During the meeting, a shared understanding was also reached on cooperating in the organisation of future dialogues, further strengthening opportunities for informed discussion on EU-Kazakhstan relations