Kazakh Senate Speaker urges government to rationalize spending, avoid tax hikesMaulen Ashimbayev, the Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Senate, has called on the government to focus on rationalizing expenses rather than resorting to tax increases.Speaking at a Senate meeting in Astana on Thursday, Ashimbayev addressed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin, emphasizing the need for smarter budget management."What about the principle of avoiding irrational and inefficient spending? There’s a lot of public discussion right now regarding VAT, and we understand the government’s rationale for considering this step. However, the key question is whether we’re managing our current expenses in a smart and effective way. Perhaps we should focus on identifying areas where we can cut costs to generate savings, rather than resorting to tax increases," Ashimbayev said.The Senate Chairman stressed that reducing wasteful spending should be the government’s top priority. "We need to establish a clear rule against inefficient spending," he emphasized.Ashimbaev also highlighted global examples as potential inspiration for Kazakhstan. "Many people are watching what’s happening in the U.S., particularly what the new administration is doing. They’ve set up a Ministry of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, which is focused on cutting budgets across the board. They’re analyzing every government agency and eliminating funds for programs they consider inefficient or irrational. We’ll see how much they manage to save. While we don’t need to copy anyone else’s approach, it might be worth taking a closer look at how we can rationalize our spending here in Kazakhstan," he added. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX