Kazakh party proposes nationalising energy firms

By BBC Monitoring

The newly-registered Kazakh green party Baytaq (Boundless) has proposed nationalising energy companies and abolishing the post of prime minister, the private news agency KazTAG reported on 1 December.

"Today energy complexes are mainly owned by local or foreign oligarchs. What is the problem here? The local executive body cannot influence them. [The latest emergency situation in the northern city of] Ekibastuz is the result of this. Therefore, nationalisation is necessary. The state should at least have a share in such companies, join the board of directors and carry out a technical audit," the report quoted the leader of the party, Azamatkhan Amirtay, as saying.

A breakdown at a thermal power plant in Ekibastuz left residents without central heating on 27-28 November.

"Does Kazakhstan need a prime minister? Does it need a prime minister's office? We do not think so. Only financiers are working there. All ministries should report directly to the president," he added.

The leader of the party noted that this would speed up the solution to many urgent issues and that the US system, which "operates efficiently", was an example.

Amirtay also said that the party would participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled to take place in the first half of 2023.

"We are already preparing for the elections to parliament's lower house and local councils. Now our task is to define lists [of party members]. Preliminary lists are available but we want to work with the people and therefore must find those among the people who at least want to actively take part in the government, local [councils] and the lower house. We must support such people," he added.

On 30 November, the Kazakh Justice Ministry registered the Baytaq ecological alliance as a political party. Amirtay said that Baytaq had unsuccessfully applied for registration 17 times in the past and that now it had been finally allowed to register with the authorities.

Source: KazTAG news agency, Almaty, in Russian 1001 gmt 1 Dec 22