Metropolitan Alexander met with the Deputy Chairman of the Committee State Duma of the Russian Federation for the Commonwealth of Independent States

November 19, 2022. Alma-Ata. In the fireplace hall of the Spiritual, Cultural and Administrative Center of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District named after St. Joseph (Chernov), Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan met with the Deputy Chairman of the Committee State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots Artem Viktorovich Turov .

The meeting was attended by: Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Art Worker of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov; Head of the Information Department of the Metropolitan District, Archpriest Yevgeny Ivanov; Assistant to the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; Head of the Metropolitan's Protocol Service, Archdeacon Roman Golovin; employees of the Alma-Ata’s akimat.

A.V. Turov informed the Head of the Metropolitan District that he had arrived in the southern capital as an observer from the Russian Federation for the early elections of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which would be held on November 20.

According to the representative of the Russian State Duma, the mission of observers carries out its activities freely and independently, guided by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, documents adopted within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, observing the principle of non-interference in the electoral process and respecting the sovereignty of the state. The deputy expressed confidence that the results of the elections would help strengthen internal political stability in Kazakhstan and positively influence the development of good neighborly Russian-Kazakh relations.

Artem Viktorovich shared with Vladyka Metropolitan his positive impressions of working as part of the mission of international observers from the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly at the referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which took place on June 5, 2022.

Metropolitan Alexander and the Russian parliamentarian praised the level of preparation for the upcoming presidential elections in large cities and in small towns.

During the conversation, the archpastor told the guest about the life of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, the activities of the higher educational institution of the Kazakh Metropolitan District - the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary, educational, charitable and youth work carried out in ten Kazakhstani dioceses. Metropolitan Alexander stressed that the current year for the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan is marked by a historically significant date - the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkestan diocese. Vladyka quoted the words of the President of Kazakhstan K.-Zh.K. Tokaev, who called the Kazakh Metropolitan District a worthy successor to the Turkestan diocese, leading active educational and social activities, contributing to the promotion of traditional spiritual and moral values, the progressive development of interethnic and interfaith dialogue.

In memory of the meeting, the Head of the Metropolitan District presented Artem Viktorovich books telling about Orthodoxy in Kazakhstan. Among the donated publications is an illustrated album that tells about the Ascension Cathedral in Alma-Ata and its full-scale scientific restoration, the results of which President K.-Zh.K. Tokayev called it "The second birth of the all-Kazakhstan shrine."

At the end of the conversation, which took place in a benevolent atmosphere, Metropolitan Alexander and A.V. Turov exchanged wishes for health and success in their work.