"We allowed the children to get some rest," said the Minister of Trade regarding the time change.

“Many speculations and legends are born. We have compared the volumes of purchases. This information exists. And Mr. Yesimkhanov (the Vice Minister of Energy - ed. note) has given an interview stating that we have even reduced the purchase of electricity from neighboring countries,” said Arman Shakkaliev at a press conference in the government.

He also addressed the concerns of Kazakh parents who pick up their children from school in the dark in the evenings. In his view, the change in time zone has not significantly affected the situation, as it was dark in the evenings both then and now.

“As a father of four children, I occasionally pick up my kids when I have the time. I can tell you that the second shift ends at 19:05. Last year we also picked up the children in the dark (ed. note). (...) My children get up without any issues. Many parents notice this. In the morning, the children wake up calmly. We have given them morning time; we have allowed them to get enough sleep and go to school while it's light outside. That’s what we have provided. We should talk about other feelings, about other changes,” he added.

There has been considerable debate in society regarding the switch to a single time zone. The initiator of this controversial decision, Majilis deputy Yerkin Abil, acknowledged that Kazakhstani citizens have indeed faced a number of difficulties.

The Minister of Culture and Information, Aida Balaeva, has already expressed her views on the authorities’ reluctance to listen to the opinions of Kazakhstani citizens regarding the return to the two time zone system.