Kazakhstan shows plausible success in seizing corrupt money

According to Olzhas Bektenov, head of the Anti-Corruption Agency, starting from the beginning of the year Kazakhstan has successfully returned to the state budget more than $517.7 million. Over almost five months, the agency identified more than 600 corrupt officials including 100 senior officials.

Moreover, the agency has taken some protective measures to prevent small and medium-sized companies from being illegally intervened by any officials.

«We’ve developed an algorithm of actions when any investigation activity must be approved by the headquarters,» the agency said in a statement.

The Anti-Corruption Agency along with the Atameken entrepreneur chamber has created a special working group that is going to intervene in any conflict between businesses and the government to make sure that the interests of business are fully respected.

Kazakhstan is quite serious about fighting corruption. For example, the country is weighing the possibility of criminalizing even an attempt to offer a bribe. This and other moves followed the Anti-Corruption Concept for 2022-2026 approved by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on February 2, 2022.