European Commission doubles financing of human rights programmes in RK

The European Commission is going to increase the financing of programmes on democratisation and human rights in Kazakhstan. Assad Beck, first secretary of the EC office in Kazakhstan, has stated this today, April 22, speaking at a forum "Legislation of RK and international standards of human rights and security", KZ-today correspondent reports from Astana.

This year the European Commission supports 25 NGO implementing projects related with democratisation and human rights. The total costs of the projects financed by the EC is 800 thousand euros. In 2006 the amount of the financing is planned to reach 1.5 million euros.

A. Beck has also stressed that the European Commission "supports both democratisation and liberalisation of the economy in Kazakhstan."

According to him, the trade between the EU and RK grew 53% from 2003 to 2004. "Today its volume reaches 8.5 billion euros," - he has explained. The EU is also the biggest investor in Kazakhstan. "40% of all direct investments coming to Kazakhstan are coming from the European Union."