"I'm very scared" – what lawmakers think about Nazarbayev's meeting with Putin.

Ermurat Bapi believes that this meeting has a political undertone.

“I wasn't there, but I think he (Nazarbayev - ed. note) needed some guarantees. I believe that when Nazarbayev resigned, he first consulted with the President of Russia. He sought a guarantee from him; without it, he wouldn't have made such a decision. And now, perhaps to renew those guarantees, he went there. He thinks he hasn't lost his significance in society, his importance in the country,” said the deputy in the corridors of the Mazhilis.

Some political analysts believe that Putin is sending certain signals and issuing warnings to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with this meeting. Ermurat Bapi thinks this version is not without merit.

“Did you notice that almost all the CIS countries congratulated us on Independence Day, as did many foreign countries, but if you open the Akorda website, there's no congratulatory message from Putin. What does that mean? Personally, I am very worried. Is he thereby refusing to recognize our independence? Remember, just last week, Medvedev, the deputy head of the Russian Security Council, hinted that they might annex more countries to their union. This was his message. And now, just a week later, we have a significant date for Kazakhstan, Independence Day, and there are no congratulations from Putin. Different conclusions can be drawn here,” he speculates.

However, Ermurat Bapi does not believe that this meeting could herald a second Kantary.

“He is not capable of organizing such a thing, even if we consider Putin a god. The January events were a public protest, an expression of the people's will, and Putin cannot, as he is not a magician, revive such opposition from the entire society. I think there are other issues at play. The discussion of this meeting by political analysts is being used as a political technology to once again stir up society, to remind us of 'how good it was in old Kazakhstan,'” noted Ermurat Bapi.

“I don't think it's a sign”

Another deputy, Aidos Sarym, on the contrary, believes that there is nothing to fear.

“He is a former president and holds no state functions or responsibilities. This is his private visit. Since he worked with Putin for many years, it seems he accepted him. I don't think this is a sign. You saw for yourself that after his visit (to Kazakhstan - ed. note), Putin stated that anyone in Russia who insinuates anything about Kazakhstan is an enemy of Russia. That is practically a quote, so after such statements, nothing special will happen,” Aidos Sarym is confident.

He added that “no matter how we feel about Nursultan Abishevich, he has his place, respect, and authority among both current and former leaders of the CIS countries.”

“Since they have gone a long way together, there is probably some respect for him, and he might take advantage of that. As for what issues were discussed, I repeat, that was off the record, and he does not hold any state functions. We cannot forbid Putin from meeting anyone; that is his right. Let’s not speculate,” said Aidos Sarym.

He agreed with Ermurat Bapi that this meeting cannot foreshadow a repetition of the January events, as Kazakhs “have developed a strong immunity to such upheavals” and do not want a repeat. In his opinion, this was demonstrated by the recent Independence Day and the society's reaction to “the imposition of bot farms and various insinuations.”

“This is a greeting to Ablyazov — zero people took to the streets, and zero people supported them. This is the best proof. No state collapses from the outside. States collapse from within. After January, we have made significant progress. And I hope we have made investments to ensure that society is united, to understand that there are officials and there is the state. The state is sacred. Burning the akimat solves nothing because that same akimat will be restored with your own money,” emphasized Aidos Sarym.

On December 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin received former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo. However, there are no details regarding the meeting.