The Deputy Chairman of the Agency on Fight Against Economic and Corruption Crimes Andrey Lukin. Photo © Marat Abilov
The Financial Police of Kazakhstan has spent more than $160 thousand to pay rewards to a little over 100 people for for providing information about corruption crimes, Tengrinews reports. “More than 100 Kazakhstan nationals have been paid the rewards totaling 25 million tenge,” said Andrey Lukin, Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Fighting Economic and Corruption Crimes (Financial Police), at the Public Council meeting on fighting corruption and shadow economy. He added that the citizens were rewarded depending on the severity of the crime that they reported. The reports varied from administrative violations to cases of large bribes. The Deputy Chairman also shared that the Financial Police managed to double the number of people brought to liability for bribery this year compared to the year 2012. “Reporting corruption has become a rule and we can see this from the number of citizens who file the reports: both government officials and business executives approach us to report being forced to pay or accept bribes,” said Lukin. In a country with a minimum wage of 18,267 tenge ($118) intense corruption throws sand into the wheels of the growing economy. With the average wage of 108,857 tenge ($704) in 2013, Kazakhstanis certainly find the anti-corruption incentive attractive. Which leaves us wondering why only 100 people have approached with authorities with the information amid such handsome rewards. It only remains for us to hope that paying $160,000 from the budget to only 100 people was worth the expense and helped catch really dangerous criminals. Based on the total sun and the number of recipients, the average payment made $1,600 per the reporter. The amount exceeds 2 average monthly salaries and comprises 13-times the minimum wage. Hopefully this way of distribution of the country's wealth has done more good than using these funds to increase social allowances or help out the people living below the poverty line. Earlier in October, President Nazarbayev called the Financial Police Chairman Rashid Tusupbekov to step up prevention of crimes. Besides, Kazakhstan joined the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) only in mid October this year. So, the county's financial police is only in the beginning of its corruption prevention path. This improves the chance of its actions becoming more large-scaled and looking less awkward in future.
The Financial Police of Kazakhstan has spent more than $160 thousand to pay rewards to a little over 100 people for for providing information about corruption crimes, Tengrinews reports.
“More than 100 Kazakhstan nationals have been paid the rewards totaling 25 million tenge,” said Andrey Lukin, Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Fighting Economic and Corruption Crimes (Financial Police), at the Public Council meeting on fighting corruption and shadow economy. He added that the citizens were rewarded depending on the severity of the crime that they reported. The reports varied from administrative violations to cases of large bribes.
The Deputy Chairman also shared that the Financial Police managed to double the number of people brought to liability for bribery this year compared to the year 2012. “Reporting corruption has become a rule and we can see this from the number of citizens who file the reports: both government officials and business executives approach us to report being forced to pay or accept bribes,” said Lukin.
In a country with a minimum wage of 18,267 tenge ($118) intense corruption throws sand into the wheels of the growing economy. With the average wage of 108,857 tenge ($704) in 2013, Kazakhstanis certainly find the anti-corruption incentive attractive. Which leaves us wondering why only 100 people have approached with authorities with the information amid such handsome rewards.
It only remains for us to hope that paying $160,000 from the budget to only 100 people was worth the expense and helped catch really dangerous criminals. Based on the total sun and the number of recipients, the average payment made $1,600 per the reporter. The amount exceeds 2 average monthly salaries and comprises 13-times the minimum wage. Hopefully this way of distribution of the country's wealth has done more good than using these funds to increase social allowances or help out the people living below the poverty line.
Earlier in October, President Nazarbayev called the Financial Police Chairman Rashid Tusupbekov to step up prevention of crimes. Besides, Kazakhstan joined the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) only in mid October this year.
So, the county's financial police is only in the beginning of its corruption prevention path. This improves the chance of its actions becoming more large-scaled and looking less awkward in future.