ASTANA – The Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs and civil service and anti-corruption agency will focus on integrating digital technologies as a corruption-fighting measure, according to a new anticorruption roadmap approved Feb. 28, reported the Atameken press service.
Timur Kulibayev. Photo credit: atameken.kz.
“The use and development of digital technologies is our main joint task. As President Nursultan Nazarbayev instructed, this should begin with the state service sector. Atameken is working in this direction. The government for business is created within the framework of the entrepreneurs’ service centres. Seventy-six services have already been automated. The customs sphere will undergo the same changes. All 17 customs procedures will be automated, minimising the corruption in the customs authorities,” said Atameken chair Timur Kulibayev.
The ultimate goal of digitisation is to fully automate the risk management system, allowing it to independently verify the object without the need for an official’s participation.
Anti-corruption will also be contained through workforce restructuring. After the control and supervisory functions are audited, more than 1,100 inspectors will be relieved of their duties, he noted.
“We propose using the saved money to increase civil servants’ salaries. The business community is ready to have compact and professional state apparatus, which is supported by taxpayers’ money,” he added.
The roadmap seeks to strengthen officials’ responsibilities for illegal actions against entrepreneurs. The agency has all the necessary tools – a system of regional ethics councils and ethics commissioners in state agencies has been formed with the possibility of coordinating the work of disciplinary commissions. Entrepreneurs should be aware that careless officials would bear well-deserved punishment for their illegal actions, the Atameken believes.
The roadmap also calls for increasing the private sector’s responsibility to regulate itself. Additional complaints have been received on the poor quality of public catering and elevator facilities, passenger transportation and fire safety.
“Everything related to the safety of life, health of people and the environment must be strictly controlled, including by the business itself. Here, we need clear mechanisms of self-control and business responsibility to prevent violations and reduction of products quality. There is a need to increase the responsibility of the business itself. We protect the interests of only bona fide entrepreneurs, those who pay taxes and comply with the law,” said Kulibayev.
He added the entrepreneurs’ code of ethics will be adopted at the Atameken congress in June. It will establish the norms and obligations of entrepreneurs in interacting with other business entities, as well as mechanisms for compliance with these obligations.
