Kazakhstan needs new anti-corruption methods: Dariga Nazarbayeva

New legal mechanisms are required to counter corruption in Kazakhstan, Interfax-Kazakhstan writes citing Majilis deputy Dariga Nazarbayeva. “To prevent corruption we need new legal mechanisms, new information technologies and more active involvement of the community,” Nazarbayeva writes in her op-ed published in Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper on May 15. According to her, public service is currently considered by Kazakhstan’s young and old people the most reliable tool for making excessive profits in a relatively short period of time. “This is, I think, the only issue with no generation gap,” Nazarbayeva states. "Everybody knows about this kind of officials-entrepreneurs. Should we be more consistent in our actions and take a full-scaled approach instead of a selective one in this direction?” the member of the Lower Chamber of the Parliament writes. She names declaration of profits and expenses by officials one of the necessary measures to counter corruption. “Maximum transparency and publicity in this area would be a serious step forward,” Nazarbayeva notes. According to her, it is necessary to introduce “a 5 to 10-year ban on work in state authorities for people found guilty of bribery or embezzlement of budget funds”. Besides, the deputy deems it necessary to consider development and adoption of “Kazakhstan life quality standard”. “There is a fairly large package of industry-specific standards in Kazakhstan’s social sector. But most of them do not comply with the basic needs of people,” Nazarbayeva writes. In particular, the consumer basket “is mainly based on its predetermined overall cost, not on people’s real needs”. “Kazakhstan life quality standard could instead included strict determined healthcare, education, social aid and housing requirements. It has to be an integrated standard,” Nazarbayeva states.