Kazakhstan’s Anti-Corruption Service saves 21 bln tenge during State Procurement MonitoringKazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev heard a report from Askar Zhumagali, Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Agency, on the agency’s performance during the Q1, 2025, the presidential press service reported."The head of state was informed that 15 billion tenge has been recovered for the state this year, with a total of 1.13 trillion tenge in assets returned since 2022. During the monitoring of state procurement and targeted fund usage, irrational spending amounting to 21.2 billion tenge was prevented," the statement reads.Zhumagali disclosed that 521 corruption-related crimes were registered in 2024, leading to 257 officials being implicated—including 141 mid- to senior-level managers. A total of 366 criminal cases have been forwarded to courts, signaling a crackdown on public-sector malfeasance.The agency also conducted an external analysis of corruption risks in Kazakhstan’s tourism sector, submitting policy recommendations to regulators. Additionally, Zhumagali highlighted a pilot project to “color money” in road construction—a digital tracking mechanism to monitor fund flows in real time—as part of broader transparency measures.On the international stage, Kazakhstan deepened collaborations with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO). The country also joined the Executive Committee of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) in February 2025, advancing its alignment with global anti-graft standards.Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Kazakhstan 88th out of 180 countries, awarding it 40 points on a 100-point scale—a marginal improvement attributed to recent reforms.President Tokayev directed the agency to sustain its efforts, stressing the need to “eradicate entrenched corrupt networks” and cultivate a “zero-tolerance culture” nationwide. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX