Zhakip Asanov, Vice Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, delivered a lecture for judges undergoing training at the Academy of Justice. The lecture focused on the results of judicial reform, management decisions made during a critical period, and issues that still require further reflection.
The presentation took the form of a frank, professional discussion about the systemic problems the judicial system faces and the management approaches that have enabled comprehensive, rather than isolated, changes, from personnel to the quality of judicial decisions.
Speaking about the start of the reforms, the Vice Speaker emphasized that the primary objective was not responding to isolated incidents, but rather a transition to strategic management of the system, where every decision should contribute to long-term results.
"All activities are divided into urgent and important. Urgent activities are routine and current problems that need to be addressed here and now. But it is important, systemic work that determines whether these problems will recur tomorrow. "When I joined the judicial system, it became clear that without changing approaches to personnel, workload, and internal processes, it was impossible to talk about the quality of justice," noted Zhakip Asanov.
He emphasized that the reforms began with a review of personnel policies, as it is the human factor that determines the stability and trust in the judicial system. Modern judicial selection mechanisms were introduced, anti-corruption standards were strengthened, and the requirements for the professional training of candidates were significantly increased.
Special attention during the lecture was given to the independence of judges and the reduction of the excessive workload on the courts, which for many years had undermined the quality of justice and created grounds for public mistrust.
"When a judge issues fifty or more decisions daily, it is impossible to talk about a thorough and fair review of cases. Therefore, we deliberately decided to relieve the courts of millions of uncontested cases, automate case assignment, and abandon formal ratings. A judge must be independent not just in words, but in actual practice, both in terms of workload and working conditions," emphasized Zhakip Asanov.
In this regard, it was noted that the introduction of administrative justice, the development of alternative dispute resolution methods, and the large-scale digitalization of judicial processes have not only reduced the number of cases but also changed the very philosophy of interaction between citizens, businesses, and the state with the judicial system.
Summing up, Zhakip Asanov emphasized that the reforms implemented have laid a solid foundation for the further development of the justice system, but a number of systemic initiatives still require legislative and institutional follow-up. According to him, open professional dialogue and a willingness to embrace further change remain key to strengthening public trust in the courts.
(Press Office of the Senate, 74-72-27)
