A moratorium on inspections of small and medium-sized businesses will not affect every organisation in Kazakhstan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Kazakhstan National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Zangar Nogaibai said at a Feb. 28 Central Communications Service (CCS) briefing. “Financial organisations, nuclear energy enterprises and arms and explosives dealers will be inspected,” he said. “We are leaving this up to those in charge of public safety.” According to him, these inspections will be carried out only upon the decision of the heads of central and local state bodies and only in coordination with the Attorney General’s Office. Nogaibai reminded that President Nursultan Nazarbayev declared a moratorium on inspections of small and medium-sized businesses from April 2 until January 2015. “From now on, all efforts of state agencies and the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs will be directed towards completing the President’s instructions on business protection,” he said.
Vice President of the Association of Trade Enterprises of Kazakhstan Zhibek Azhibayeva discussed Kazakhstan’s trade issues at a March 5 media briefing. “Trade issues require a systematic approach and planned mitigation. The trade development programme for 2010-2014 was worked out in 2010. However, the programme’s implementation was frozen due to a lack of financing,” she said. “As you may know, there are only a few trade networks and national brands in the country. These topics are constantly being raised. However, this plan will be cancelled.” She also noted the association analysed regulatory legal acts and submitted about 20 proposals for sector development.
Every third project of the Industrialisation Map in the Kostanai region is supported though the Business Road Map 2020, Bnews.kz reported March 5, referencing Kostanai Region Governor Nuraly Saduakassov. “More than 2 billion tenge (US$11 million) was allocated in 2013 as part of the Business Road Map 2020 programme. Over the three years of the programme’s existence, a total sum exceeding 5 billion tenge (US$27.5 million) has been issued. In total, 224 projects totalling 49.6 billion tenge (US$272.5 million) have been subsidised since the launch of the programme, production infrastructure has been built for 45 enterprises totalling 2.9 billion tenge (US$16 million), 22 emergent entrepreneurs received grants amounting to 44 million tenge (US$242,000),” the governor said. According to him, more than 4,000 businessmen have used the non-financial instruments of the programme. “In order to expand efforts, a mobile support centre is visiting all towns and districts to explain the provisions of the programme and provide consultations,” Saduakasov said.
At a March 5 Central Communications Service (CCS) media briefing, Vice President of the Association of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan Zhibek Azhibayeva noted the previous moratorium on inspections of small and medium-sized businesses enacted in 2009 brought positive results. “The new moratorium is being announced at a most difficult time. The actions being taken now are not unlike those taken in 2009. This moratorium was implemented in light of the results of the last one,” she said. She also noted that about 1.2 million people work in Kazakhstan’s trade industry. As earlier reported, the moratorium on inspections of small and medium business entities was announced this year and comes into force April 2. It will expire Jan. 1, 2015.
