News

Two countries are going to explore new gas and oil field in the Caspian Sea named Dostluk together, according to the CentralAsia news agency.

Parliament of Turkmenistan has ratified a memorandum between Ashgabat and Baku on the exploration. As expected, the joint treaty should be signed by presidents Gurbanguly Berdimukhamedow (Turkmenistan) and Ilham Aliev (Azerbaijan). Russia and Turkey are considered as the other two partners of the project.

This agreement means a lot for both countries because they had argued about the field since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The field is located right at the state border between...

On March 13 at 5.20 p.m. an AN-26 aircraft crashed during the landing in Almaty airport. 

The aircraft of Kazakhstan’s Border Service with six people onboard has crashed in an accident while headed from Nur-Sultan to Almaty.   

The National Security Committee (KNB), which is an agency that supervises the Border Service, has confirmed that the plane was registered in the Aviation Service of KNB.

«The KNB Aviation Service AN-26 aircraft crashed while trying to land in Almaty Airport,» the KNB press service reported.

According to the Department of Emergencies, on March 13, 5:25 p.m. the Almaty airport...

In an interview with Kursiv, deputy head of the Digital Innovation & Transformation company Vitaliy Pustovoytenko has told how the company has created the Ashyq app and how long it may work to support the sector of services in Kazakhstan.

At the end of February, chief sanitary doctor Erlan Kiyasov officially approved the mobile application Ashyg for businesses in Nur-Sultan, Almaty and Karaganda. The app’s work is based on a QR code that is assigned to each business whether it is a spa, fitness center, or computer club. In turn, those who come there are obliged to use the app...

Minister of Energy Nurlan Nogaev has announced five new petrochemical plants will be put into operation in Kazakhstan by 2025.

According to the official, the ministry is planning to prepare a national plan on petrochemical industry development this year. The task is to boost the petrochemical industry and make it even more attractive for foreign investors.

Three new factories will be built in the Atyrau region: a polypropylene production plant with the capacity of 500,000 tons of product per year; a technical gas production plant that will produce 57 million cubical meters of azote and 34 million cubical meters of...

The head of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin, Energy Minister Nurlan Nogaev, and CEO of KazMunayGaz Alik Aydarbayev have met with Nigel Hearne, president of Eurasia Pacific Exploration and Production in Chevron to discuss the perspectives of oil production, according to the government’s press service. 

American Chevron Corporation is one of the biggest foreign investors in Kazakhstan. The company has shares in three oil projects: Tengiz (50%), Karachaganak (18%) and Caspian Pipeline Consortium (15%).

In 2020 the joint U.S.-Kazakhstani company Tengizchevroil produced 26.5 million tons of crude oil and transferred $6.6 billion to the state budget...

On March 1, the Uzbekistani government approved a new system of subsidies for local tourists, Kazinform news agency reported citing the State Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan.

It’s going to be much cheaper to travel inside Uzbekistan. All airline tickets are now available with a 25% discount. If you’ve bought a ticket from a local tour operator, you can get an additional discount of 15%, so the total discount for air travel will count 40%. Those who prefer railways can buy their tickets with a 15% discount. And all of them can expect a 10% discount on hotel accommodation.

«In...

The new certificate, which Kazakhstan’s government suggests people use, is not verified by the international certification authorities. As a result, potential vulnerabilities of it could be dangerous for regular citizens, according to Mikhail Klimarev, IT specialist and head of the non-profit organization Internet Protection Society, who has given a speech at the Privacy Week 2021 conference.

In 2015 Kazakhstan developed a digital security certificate Qaznet Trust Network, which is supposed to be a shield to protect people against hacker attacks or sensitive content. However, as Russian expert Klimarev has noted, none of the international certification centers confirmed it.

«It...

As the Mangystau region administration’s press service reported, a huge oil field has been discovered in Mangystau.

The preliminary data shows that the new field, which was named after prominent explorer and oil worker Khalel Uzbekgaliev, contains light, sweet crude oil that can be produced by standard means.

«The new oil field is located at the territory of Mangystau and Beyneu districts on Tepke site. The oil volumes the exploration well has shown are very promising. It became known at the meeting of Meridian Petroleum oil company executive managers with Serikbay Trumov, head of the Mangystau region,» the press...

The United States is offering a $1 million reward for information that can help to bring Kamchybek Kolbaev, boss of a well-known Kyrgyzstani criminal network, to justice, according to Interfax news agency citing the U.S. Embassy to Bishkek.

As the Embassy’s press service has reported, the United States will continue to support the fight against corruption and organized crime in the Kyrgyz Republic and across the globe.

«The United States recognizes the destabilizing effects of corruption around the world and has made combating it a priority. The U.S. government has confiscated and successfully returned over $1 billion in corrupt...

Ust-Kamenogorsk and Shulba hydro-electric power stations, which are the biggest stations of that kind in Eastern Kazakhstan, should be sold in May 2021.

On December 29, 2020, the government of Kazakhstan approved a Complex Privatization Plan for 2021-2025. Both hydro-power stations have been included in the list of state property that should be sold as soon as possible.

According to the website privatization.gosreestr.kz, Ust-Kamenogorsk and Shulba hydro-electric power stations must be prepared for sale. This pre-selling procedure will last four months, with the first auction already scheduled for May 4. It’s expected that on May 17 the government and potential...

Giorgi Gakharia, prime minister of Georgia, has said today that he will resign because of discord with his team amid the attempt of Georgian authorities to arrest the opposition leader Nika Melia.

Nika Melia has been put into custody by the local court. 

«This man has never respected Georgian laws; on June 20 last year he tried to incite a riot by calling people on to storm the parliament; eventually he was proved to be one of the organizers of that attack. However, this is my strong belief, we can’t prosecute any person if there is a risk of...

Indian Monnet Group may purchase Tau-Ken Temir, silicon plant in Karaganda, according to Nursultan Jienbayev, deputy head of the Karaganda region. While the negotiations are still underway, local officials said that the investor might be considering converting the plant. 

According to Kanat Kudaybergen, chairman of the board of directors of Tau-Ken Samruk, which is the corporate parent for Tau-Ken Temir, a group of technical experts from the investor side visited the plant in early February. However, he’s declined to reveal any details because they might affect the negotiations. 

«Because there is no fixed arrangement with an investor, we are...

According to the airline press service, the rule will help passengers get on board and get off the plane more easily. The size and weight of the luggage won’t be changed, the company said.

«These changes are not something completely different we have today; I mean we are not going to change the size or weight of the luggage. The only difference is the quantity of luggage; passengers will be allowed to carry on only one bag with them. What it would be: a handbag, rucksack or suitcase – people can decide on their own,» said Daniyar Uskenbayev, head...

The incident took place at the Almaty International Airport on February 13, 2021. The aircraft’s pilot Erkin Nauryzbayev has told Kursiv edition what happened that day.

According to the pilot, it was a tough landing because the plane’s pneumatic landing gear was broken.

«We had flown that day on a DeHavilland Q400 model aircraft with P4-Air number. Even though the landing itself was good, the weather conditions were tough and the land surface was covered with ice. However, we had managed to make a landing approach safely as Kazakhstani standards require. There was no violation of the safety rules...

Russia has introduced a 17.5-million-ton quota for wheat, rye, corn and barley export. The new rule will last from February 15 to June 30, 2021. Export to other Eurasian Economic Union member-states will not be limited though, Interfax news agency reported.

As the Russian authority claims, the move is aimed to stabilize flour and bread prices because the grain’s price is soaring.

In addition to restrictive measures, Russia has also introduced a new export tariff. From February 15, exporters pay 25 euro to export one ton of wheat. On March 1 this tariff will double. At the same date, Russia...

Cassational court of Luxembourg has called off the arbitration decision, which required Kazakhstan to pay $500 million. Now, the case should be reconsidered in a court of appeals with renewed staff. 

In August 2017 Moldovan moguls Anatol Stati and his son Gabriel, as well as companies Ascom Group S. A. and Terra Raf Trans Trading Ltd were notified that the arbitration decision about Kazakhstan’s case must be executed in Luxembourg. On December 19, 2019, this decision was confirmed by Luxembourg’s appeal court.

However, in March 2020 Kazakhstan filed a cassational complaint claiming that Luxembourg’s appeals court had failed to examine...

On February 12, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed an edict on appointments of the new ambassadors to Armenia, Sweden and Brazil.

Bolat Imanbayev has been appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Armenia. Earlier he was an ambassador to Malaysia and Brunei-Darussalam.

The former ambassador to Italy, Malta and San-Marion, Sergey Nurtaev will serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Sweden. 

Another career diplomat Bolat Nusupov has been appointed as a new head of Kazakhstan’s mission to Brazil.

President Tokayev has also signed an...

As Erlan Zhamaubayev, minister of finance said, the registration and closing procedures for sole entrepreneurs will soon become much easier. Moreover, the ministry is going to remove fees and payments for fiscal data transmission.

According to the official, the Ministry of Finance currently develops two mobile apps at once: E-Salyq Business for sole entrepreneurs and E-Salyq Azamat for all other taxpayers. Both apps should make it easier to work with tax returns and make payments via smartphone. 

Since January this year, land and property taxes in Kazakhstan have been combined in one payment while those who own multi-apartment buildings now...

According to Nariman Abilshaikov, the first deputy of the Atameken entrepreneurs’ chamber, all foreign online retailers should pay taxes in Kazakhstan as the local retailers do. Such kind of fiscal equality will be the next stage in local market development. 

As Abilshaikov noted, because foreign online retailers pay no tax in Kazakhstan, they are able to make their prices lower and take advantage of it. Moreover, it might be an uneasy task to take money back if customers from Kazakhstan no longer want a product they purchased because of its low quality or wrong size.  

Another factor is the...

The country is going to expand its territory covered by 5G networks, Interfax Kazakhstan news agency reported citing Askar Mamin.

«Over five years all regional centers, as well as Nur-Sultan, Almaty, and Shymkent will have been covered by 5G. We are going to invest much more money into data processing and e-commerce. We will also continue to support the digital industry to make it possible for thousands of IT companies to be established,» said Mamin while speaking at the Digital Almaty 2021 international forum. 

According to the prime minister, the IT industry in Kazakhstan may create about...

Vladimir Kim and Oleg Novachuk, who are the key shareholders of KAZ Minerals, have renewed their buyout offer on February 4, 2021. The price of one share has risen from 640 English pence to 780. Moguls want to make an acquisition through Nova Resources B.V. (Bidco), another company they own. Given the new price, KAZ Minerals is currently estimated at £3.7 billion.

Oleg Novalchuk said he was satisfied with the agreement they’ve reached with KAZ Minerals’ Independent Committee. 

«This new expanded offer is a good opportunity for KAZ Minerals shareholders to turn their investments into cash while the price...

The aviation administration of Kazakhstan and SCAT air company want to make the Boeing 737 MAX fly once again. If the airline organizes proper training for its pilots to teach them how to act in the case of an emergency with malfunctioning instrumentation, the plane might be allowed to fly again.

In order to prepare the plane for flights, SCAT engineers along with Boeing representatives have installed new software and made all proper work on aircraft depreservation.

«SCAT pilots have been trained in the international training center and the first test flight will be very soon. At the moment...

According to Autostat, automotive industry data provider, the luxury cars segment in Russia is shrinking. 

As the agency reported, the volume of brand-new luxury cars in 2020 was about 1,114 cars. This figure is 15% less than in 2019, when dealers sold 1,312 of such cars. Experts said that the luxury segment declined more than the rest of the car market in Russia; it decreased by 8%.

In general, Russian customers have bought 387 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class last year, as well as 299 Bentley, 199 Rolls-Royce, 139 Lamborghini, 52 Maserati, 29 Ferrari and nine Aston Martin. The only brand that...

Thousands of trucks and carriages were stuck on the state border between China and Kazakhstan due to strict sanitary control. As the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs named Atameken reported, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned its Kazakhstani counterparts that China will keep quarantine measures for the rest of the winter and during spring. 

Currently, more than 8,000 heavy trucks are registered online to cross the border at the Nurly Zhol checkpoint. Thousands of carriages are just abandoned on the railways because they can’t move further. According to Talgat Temirkhanov, deputy chairman of the Atameken, it takes 1.5 hours for...