MP alleges “kleptocrats” linked to ex-president eyeing gas sector assets

06.12.2023, 17:53 exclusive.kz

MP Yermurat Bapi has alleged that “kleptocrats” close to former president Nursultan Nazarbayev are trying to make a comeback by re-establishing control over the country’s natural gas sector.

In a statement in parliament on Wednesday, Bapi also demanded a public report from the Committee set up two months ago to oversee the process of recovering assets illegally taken out of the country by Nazarbayev’s family and associates.

He said that “neither the public, nor the deputies who adopted the law on recovering stolen assets, know anything about the Committee’s activities”.

“It seems it is time it held a press conference and made public what it has been up to until now,” Bapi, a known opposition journalist, said.

He continued that, meanwhile, “kleptocrats of the Old Kazakhstan are again trying to lay their hands on the country’s economy”.

Bapi alleged, citing “insider information”, that a struggle was taking place in the country for control over the natural gas sector, “as it is undergoing reforms and getting demonopolized in connection with new projects planned with Russia’s Gazprom and the Chinese national oil and gas company”.

“The gas sector, once out of reach, and which for many years was under the influence of Kayrat Sharipbayev [husband of Nazarbayev’s eldest daughter Dariga], is now available for new owners – the new projects worth trillions have made it even more attractive,” Bapi said.

“Everyone is interested in this juicy morsel.”

Among these new projects Bapi named a new branch of the Beineu-Bozoy-Shymkent gas pipeline, new gas refining projects at the huge Kashagan and Karachaganak gas fields, and the further modernisation of the Central Asia – Centre gas pipeline.

The Beineu-Bozoy-Shymkent gas pipeline is a major Kazakh-Chinese project launched in December 2010 to link the western Kazakh gas fields with the country’s south.

Central Asia – Centre is a Soviet-built gas pipeline that links the region with Russia. In October, following some upgrading, Russia began using it to deliver natural gas to Uzbekistan.

Bapi further alleged that “the main contender” for control over the gas sector was an unnamed top KazMunayGaz manager close to Nazarbayev’s second son-in-law Timur Kulibayev.

He also alleged that Serikaly Brekeshev, who is being considered as a new head of the QazaqGaz (Kazakh Gas) company is a close associate of Sharipbayev.

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