ASTANA. Oct 24 (Interfax) - Kazakh Majilis deputy Vladimir Nekhoroshev has welcomed the decision of Kazakhstan's authorities to hire ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a consultant.
"Decisions that should be made and questions that should be solved are better seen from afar. I think that is a very well considered and wise proposal and it will bring benefits to the country," he told Interfax on Monday.
"As far as we know, Prime Minister Tony Blair did colossal work. He is truly known as an economist and a person knowledgeable of state management at a rather difficult moment," he said.
"This is a genius decision of our president," the deputy said.
Blair will help the Kazakh authorities to prevent a crisis similar to that in some European countries, he said.
"We can see what is going on in Europe and the world at large. An opinion from Europe will be extremely valuable; we will know what to do to avert events similar with the European ones. Greece, Italy and Spain have found themselves in a very serious situation. He [Blair] is the man who has been through a European crisis once. He may assist our preventive steps," he said.
The Daily Telegraph said on Sunday that the Kazakh authorities had hired Blair as an economic consultant. It said that Blair would be paid about 8 million pounds for a year's work.