NUR-SULTAN – Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Agency Alik Shpekbayev reported to the head of state about the implementation of anti-corruption initiatives and the Agency’s key performance indicators in 2020 at a Jan. 28 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with the chairman of the Anti-Corruption Agency Alik Shpekbayev. Photo credit: Akorda.kz.
Shpekbayev reported on the country’s progress in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International.
According to Shpekbayev, due to the consistently implemented political modernization and anti-corruption reforms, Kazakhstan, for the first time, has scored 38 points in the index, which allowed it to move up by 19 positions and take the 94th position.
President Tokayev positively assessed the economic effect of the Agency’s work on compensation for damage and prevention of irrational expenses, which amounted to 95.6 billion tenge (US$225 million), and noted a decrease in corruption crimes of 5 percent.
The head of state highlighted the need for high-quality implementation of anti-corruption innovations and continued modernization of corresponding legislation in accordance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) standards, including the introduction of liability for non-compliance related to officials’ expenses and their income.
Tokayev instructed Shpekbayev to continue the preventive efforts and constructive interaction with civil society, emphasizing the importance of compliance with the punishment principle.
In addition, Chairman of the Financial Monitoring Agency Zhanat Elimanov reported to the head of state about the working plans of the newly created Financial Monitoring Agency for the upcoming period at a Jan. 28 meeting.
Elimanov spoke about the preparations underway for the second round of mutual evaluations of the norms’ implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) within the Eurasian Group on combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
Tokayev instructed Elimanov to strengthen the work on countering the shadow economy and to ensure the protection of the interests of bona fide business and exclude unjustified interference in their activities.
