Local administration flatly rejects presents from the city's residents
In Almaty, the city's Anti-Corruption Service has been vigilant in ensuring that officials abide by the law when it comes to receiving gifts. According to Dauren Tauymurat, the first deputy head of the city's Department of the Anti-Corruption Agency, gifts to civil servants for performing official duties are strictly prohibited in any form.
The Service has noted that officials often receive gifts in the form of office repairs and building materials. Among the most expensive gifts surrendered were a Rolex watch worth one million 809 thousand tenge and Wireless AirPods.
The fine for officials who receive prohibited gifts is one million six hundred thousand tenge. Similarly, givers of gifts face a fine of 200 MCI, currently equivalent to 555,600 tenge. Failure to transfer gifts within the specified time could be considered an illegal reward.
Perishable gifts are disposed of, while gifts of lower value are kept in a special fund. In 2020, two gifts were accepted, one was disposed of, and one was put up for auction.
The number of accepted gifts has been decreasing each year, according to Dauren Arystanbekov. The gifts include souvenirs, alcoholic products, and confectionery, with the value of a prohibited gift for civil servants being below 2 MCI (currently equivalent to 5,556 tenge).
It is important to note that there is no publicly available detailed information about the special fund involved, which gifts are accepted, or penalties for accepting gifts. However, many governments have strict regulations regarding gifts to officials, often specifying a special fund or registry where refused or unacceptable gifts must be deposited or declared, types of gifts allowed, and penalties for accepting prohibited gifts.
The Anti-Corruption Service also urges against holding corporate events and avoiding public places while intoxicated. Furthermore, they have warned against the upcoming New Year corporate events. For exact details about such policies for Almaty officials, consulting Kazakhstan’s official government ethics regulations or local administrative codes would be necessary.
Officials in Almaty's Anti-Corruption Service have observed that some gifts, such as office repairs and building materials, are disguised forms of bribery in the business sector. Non-perishable gifts, even if of lower value, are kept in a special fund, with the fine for officials receiving such gifts being one million six hundred thousand tenge.
In the realm of politics and general-news, it is crucial to acknowledge that transparency in the handling of gifts and donations is essential for maintaining public trust. Strict regulations aim to prevent the influence of illicit finance on business and governance by specifying penalties for accepting prohibited gifts and detailing the process for handling and disposing of such gifts.
