Financial Police: old songs in a new way

There were legends among businessmen about corruption in Financial Police. We should note that there is no smoke without fire. Almost after April 2010 the interim government members asked themselves what to do with Financial Police.

On the one hand, flirting with business, that reminded all the time that Financial Police interfered with the normal operation, was essential during elections. On the other hand, the fiscal agency was considered as a reliable ally in a difficult question of filling the budget in post-revolutionary times.

Ex-Top Prosecutor Kubatbek Baibolov stated about abolition of the Financial Police. Ex-president of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otunbayeva supported the initiative. But at the same time the then Financial Police head Erkin Bulekbayev hired 70 new employees. So, the structure has been living for a year and a half waiting for either reducing, or reforming. With the coming of Omurbek Babanov’s Government the decision was made. He signed a resolution on the elimination of Financial Police “as a body that compromised itself”. However, we can safely remove all structures in Kyrgyzstan on such grounds.

In one’s image and likeness

Following the example of Georgia, our authorities decided to speak bluntly and to dismiss all employees that had not justified the confidence.

The Colonel of liquidated agency Maken Omurzakov noted that the necessity of reforms is ripe. But they should not do damage to the state. Mr Omurzakov is sure that we need not liquidation, but reorganization of Financial Police.

“It impossible to completely clear the agency from corrupt employees by reorganization and staff reducing,” says Kolbay Musayev, deputy head of the Government’s Office, head of the Defence, Law and Order and Emergency Department.

Now by order of the Prime Minister the State Service for Combating Economic Crimes has been created in Kyrgyzstan. It is assumed, it would be a crystal honest, professional agency with a staff of 260 people. Functions and tasks will be the same.

Treat all alike

All people willing to take part in a contest, even taxi drivers and gynecologists were allowed. As a result 1, 545 thousand people applied for.

High hopes were put upon lie detector. But it was decided not to use it. The chairman and his deputies did not worry about the exams, as the first was appointed by the Premier’s order. And he by himself chose his deputies. By the way, Baktybek Ashirov remained the new chairman. He was appointed on January 26, 2012, and on March 15 he was reassigned to the same position, but with a new name.

And what for were all these costs?

Hobson’s choice

“We consider the commission illegal, say the colonels of the former agency. – The National Personnel Service should prepare questions and take part in testing. But none of its employees was allowed”.

As colonels say, tide of discontent is rising, and more than 80 employees of the liquidated agency are in their ranks. They do not like questions, the procedure of testing, the process of selection, absence of cost compensation for those who came for testing from regions. In general, there are a lot of claims. Are these people motivated by personal insult that they have not passed the test and were left without lucrative job? Or maybe they feel hurt for the state?

Meantime

The members of Ar-Namys parliamentary faction heard the complaints of dismissed employees and new leadership and decided that candidates’ selection was held with numerous violations. The deputies recommended the Government to cancel the results of the competition and set a new one.

According to the Financial Police employees, white collar crime is growing every year and takes more subtle forms. And while there is a formation of a new composition of pure people unspoiled by system, professionals are washed out of the profession. Maybe Kyrgyzstan has such forces and people that need exactly this?

And it is impossible to understand what’s worse - professionals who are accused of corruption, or honest newcomers who do not have an idea of secret financial schemes. When the society is confronted with such a reform, it is not worth a brass farthing.