YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took the oath of office and assumed the post of Kazakhstan’s interim president on March 20 after the nation’s long-time leader Nursultan Nazarbayev announced his resignation on March 19, reports TASS.

“I solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of Kazakhstan, to strictly observe the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to guarantee the rights and freedoms of citizens, to fulfill in good faith great duties of the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan entrusted on me”, Tokayev told a joint meeting of the parliament’s houses.

Tokayev, 65, has served as Speaker of Kazakhstan’s upper house of parliament, the Senate, since September 2017.

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev announced his resignation on March 19. “I made a decision to resign as president. This year marks the 30th anniversary of my term in office. People provided me a chance to be the first president of Kazakhstan”, Nursultan Nazarbayev said in a TV address.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan