Kazakh Leader Raps Govt But Maintains Support
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, Apr. 01, 1999 -- (Reuters) Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev slammed his government on Wednesday for its failure to combat corruption and improve tax collection, but made clear he would not withdraw his support.
"The government has not fulfilled a number of goals. Only the president carries out the fight
against corruption and non-payment of taxes," Nazarbayev said in a speech to both houses of parliament in the new Kazakh capital, Astana.
"But despite what I have said, I mean to support further the work of this government," he said on national television.
Nazarbayev, who has ruled the Central Asian state since Soviet times, said the government and head of the republic's regions should file regular reports to the president. The first of these should be made in the second half of April, he said.
"The fight against corruption in our country will give (Kazakhstan the reputation of having)
an uncompromising character. No one will be indulged."
Nazarbayev urged all Kazakhs and foreign investors to help the authorities to fight
corruption. He asked them to report cases to the presidential administration via a special
telephone line.
The courts had tried 77 serious corruption cases and 40 officials had been arrested in the first two months of 1999, he said.
"Corruption is one of the most dangerous threats to our democracy," he added. |
