Have you ever pulled your rank?

Kyrgyz officials have sweeping powers and frequently take privileges for solving of emergent problems. The news agency 24.kg decided to ask known Kyrgyz figures, if they ever pulled their rank for solving any problems?

Akylbek Japarov, Economic Development and Trade Minister:

Yes, I have done it many times. I have a reception day on Saturdays. Everybody needs help, support and I have to use my rank. I have often pulled it when I was a parliament deputy: voters who needed assistance turned to me frequently.

As for my family, relatives, I do not promote their interests by pulling my rank on. My son studies abroad, earning money by himself and the daughter has graduated from the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University on her own. I am against pulling a rank for doing own business.

Begaly Nargozuev, parliament deputy from Ak Zhol Fraction:

Yes, I have, probably. For the first time in my life I tried to place my granddaughter in a kindergarten nearby our house and as a deputy called administration of the facility with a request to admit her. But I have not received any answer yet.

In general, it is a common practice in Kyrgyzstan to solve some professional, personal issues by pulling a rank on. Personally I do not dare to pull my rank for solving personal problems. Some friends turned to me with a request to place them in tax, customs services but I never addressed to its chiefs. The acquaintance simply took offence at me that I as a deputy have never helped them.

I would like to add that officials often use their rank as if it were unintentionally. We have never been stopped by the traffic policemen, for example, and our drivers drive at a high speed.

Kubanychbek Mamaev, official secretary for the Kyrgyz Transport and Communications Ministry:

No I do not pull my rank. I politely deny all requests. I know how to do it. I say that my rank does not allow it and they should solve all the issues by procedure.

Iskenderbek Aidraliev, the Agriculture, Water and Processing Industry Minister:

The question is really uncomfortable. I have to analyze my life now. Have you ever done it? I do not know how to answer the question. Generally speaking, my father always taught me to never use my rank. I try to follow the principle starting from activity at party bodies to my current job.

Ruslan Kazakbaev, Deputy Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan:

Yes I have. It is difficult to remember some but here is one of the examples. I often worked abroad and my family lived here at the time. My relatives had some difficulties of course. When delegations, ministers came to us, I asked them for help in some issues. So I have turned to one of them with a request to place my child in a kindergarten. It turned out that it is more difficult to place a child in kindergarten than in a university in Kyrgyzstan.

Nurlan Sulaimanov, the Transport and Communications Minister of Kyrgyzstan: