The decree of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on renaming the capital of the republic to Astana came into force after being published in the official newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda on Monday.

The decree renaming Nur-Sultan, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to Astana was published on Monday at midnight sharp. It takes effect from the day of its first official publication. Also published in the newspaper is the law on amendments and additions to the constitution.

On Saturday, Tokayev signed the law on amendments to the constitution, according to which the capital of Kazakhstan returns its former name of Astana. On the same day, he signed a decree renaming the capital. In addition, according to the amendments to the basic law, the term of office of the head of state is limited to a seven-year period without the right for re-election.

In 1997, the country's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, moved the capital from Almaty to the city of Akmola, which was renamed Astana in 1998. On March 23, 2019, current head of state Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree renaming Astana to Nur-Sultan in honor of Nazarbayev. Capital Day, July 6, is celebrated as a state holiday in Kazakhstan.