This increase, however, is largely a phenomenon of growth from a low base, and certain critical areas such as infrastructure and education continue to receive relatively limited support. The other priorities included: national security, internal stability and consolidation of society, economic growth on the basis of an open economy, health, education and well-being of citizens, energy resources, infrastructure, transport and communications, and professional government. The term “republican” here and further in the text is used synonymously to the terms “national”, or “national-level”, as it is commonly understood in Kazakhstan.