How Kyrgyz Ministers are punished

It looks like the head of the Government of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev came out of political hibernation. At the beginning of the week rebuked three officials - the Minister of Natural Resources Zamirbek Esenamanov, the mayor of Bishkek Isa Omurkulov and Chui province Governor Aibek Azyrankulov. Just note that all three are Prime Minister proteges, and they are along with Social Democratic Party. However, the educational process that started in the government looks more like Atambayev’s campaign than corrections of mistakes. All three guilty functionaries seem to offer themselves to the interests of the leader. Almazbek Atambayev reprimands colleagues fatherly soft. Everything indicates that the Prime Minister's sanctions will not affect the subordinates career in any way.

It is evident that civil servants Esenamanov, Omurkulov and Azyrankulov have long been asking for dismissal under the article. Thus, the current governor of the capital has repeatedly demonstrated mismatch of work status. But, despite the obvious displeasure of Bishkek residents with Omurkulov’s work he remains the mayor today and feeds with promises beginning with residential communities residents ending with irritated drivers. “I understand those residential communities residents that have taken such step blocking the road. They could not reach out to local authorities,” Almazbek Atambayev commented the rally organized by hovels’ inhabitants in Ak-Zhar. Does not the Prime Minister know that no one can “reach out to” the local authorities in Kyrgyzstan?

It is also easy for the young governor of Chui province Azyrankulov to escape as for Omurkulov. The head of the province had to leave the post after the region failed to cope with the forecasts of tax collection differs nothing. But despite the fact of the budget deficit in the country former coordinator of Social Democratic Party political council and part-time psychologist-practitioner continues to run and he is not going to go nowhere.

But the most absurd is the situation with Zamirbek Esenamanov that has already been twice reprimanded by the Prime Minister during last year: one for the scandalous situation in Kyrgyzneftegaz OJSC and another - for an interview regarding the transfer of three minefields to China in exchange for the railroad. There are rumors around the Ministry of Natural Resources about his incompetence since his appointment. The opponents nicknamed Esenamanov as “butcher” assured that new Minister will bring in a geological area even greater chaos than its predecessors. Geologic exploration veterans repeatedly complained to the authorities of the country of Esenamanov: they say that the new head of cross-sectional department unreasonably extends a license to foreign companies that do not hurry to develop some minefields. Thy have not noticed all this for the time being.

The the head of Cabinet Minister made up his mind to “kick” the Minister only when real threat of social unrest occurred. How the residents of Naryn province rallied against Bakiyev's intention to transfer minefields: Zhetim Too iron minefield and Sandyk aluminum minefield again the same Chinese is still fresh in the memory. Then it led to the April events. Nobody in Kyrgyzstan is immune of such kind of events that is known to Almazbek Atambayev. And that is why Esenamanov was carpeted, reprimanded and punished with the demonstration of “flogging” on the official channels in prime times.

And now let us remember how the situation with delinquent officials are solved by simple employers: according to the Labor Code of KR, you can fire an employee even after the announcement of the first reprimand. This sanction is a measure of disciplinary action and is appropriately reflected in the workbook. In this the reprimand is automatically canceled after one year or earlier at the request of the employee. But traditionally the worker may start looking for another job after the second reprimand. Who would keep a layman in the staff in the normal company?

They live and work in the government according to quite different rules. 24.kg news agency contacted with the Deputy Head of Department of Legal Support Staff of the Government of KR Timur Shambetov in order to learn legal aspects of recent incidents with the announcement of the reprimand to the Prime Minister and their possible consequences. At first, the official tried to learn why news agency calls him directly. Then Mr. Shambetov advised the journalist to “know personally why Almazbek Atambayev has announced Zamirbek Esenamanov already the second reprimand and what will follow for it.” In response to the question what then the Division is occupied with nor than legal expertise of decisions and orders of the Prime Minister the official pleading his busy schedule, he hung up the phone ...

The lawyers from the administration of the President for transitional period of KR were more talkative. They supposed that the last reprimand of the Prime Minister declared the Minister of Natural Resources was not addressed directly to the work and is related to his statements in the press. That is, Esenamanov’s talkativeness following the logic of White House specialists it is not related to his functional responsibilities of the Minister ...

In fact, the legislators have recognized that the reprimands to the officials could be announced as much as necessary and they can be dismissed interminably. The final word on the removal from office is for the employer, id est in this case for the Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev. Apparently the latter does not hurry to get rid of “violators” in their team.

It turns out that reprimand in terms of bureaucratic Kyrgyzstan is obvious show. From outside it really seems that all the guilty officials like to be punished: the media are full of headlines about the reprimand and warning and the ministers, mayors and governors themselves look guilty for a while and go into hiding information. Angered public is calming, the anger is being forgotten and the authorities continue to work and to live as well as before public scolding. The question is, what are all these empty shaking the air for?

Over the past few months, perhaps only the acting Mayor of Jalal-Abad Maksatbek Zhenbekov was removed from office for the “action”. And they dismissed the mayor not because of poor performance but because of the presence of Russian citizenship, and after mass media coverage. Then the Minister of the State Property Nurdin Ilebaev left the post on his own. They hinted that the officer couldn’t cope with the situation in the already mentioned Kyrgyzneftegaz OJSC.

Almazbek Atambayev’s loyalty and kindness to all other members of the Cabinet is simply amazing. They will find justification on the top that's just the principle according to that everyone eventually gets his due has not been canceled. If the leader cannot punish high officials than the people will probably do it as it has already happened in Kyrgyzstan. Is this turn of events advantageous for the current politicians in power? Hardly. But someone has to clean the ranks of featherheaded bureaucrats. If the authorities do not, then who?