ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Anti-Corruption Agency has recovered 108 billion tenge ($241 million) as a result of investigations, announced President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at an April 5 video conference meeting with the agency’s new leadership, the Akorda press service reported.
Photo credit: Akorda.
Though a positive result, Tokayev noted it is an indicator of the scale of corruption in previous years. He urged the officials to prioritize the fight against corruption in all its forms.
“Bribery, nepotism, ‘telephone law’, and other vices have long weakened citizens’ trust in state institutions, causing people’s faith in justice to erode. That is why one of my initial campaign promises was an unwavering fight against corruption until its eradication,” Tokayev said.
The President also instructed the agency’s new leadership to continue identifying and combating corruption among high-ranking officials, particularly in areas that directly affect the well-being of citizens.
The system of anti-corruption measures includes new legal institutions, the resignation of politicians and civil servants for corruption of subordinates, integrity checks, anti-corruption assessment of regulatory legal acts, and other initiatives.
The President set priority tasks for the coming period for the newly appointed chairman of the agency, Askhat Zhumagali, outlining the need to implement measures in the Concept of Anti-Corruption Policy for 2022-2026.
“Eliminating consistently emerging causes and conditions that lead to corruption is crucial. It is also necessary to properly conduct public awareness work,” Tokayev noted.
