The achievements of the country's first president Nursultan Nazarbayev should not be denied.

Axar.az reports that the statement came from Kazakh President Gasim-Jomart Tokayev.

"Today, society has different, biased views on our recent past. However, we have no right to overestimate the important achievements of the independence period. We must remember that a nation that denies its history and its leaders has no future. Therefore, I urge my compatriots to be objective and correct," Tokayev said.

Tokayev also noted that the amendments to the constitution adopted by the people in a recent referendum actually mean the creation of a second republic:

"The country is moving to a qualitatively new stage of state building on the basis of a deep renewal of all state institutions."