POLICY

Gani Kasymov proposes an increase of VAT for Kazakhstani banks

Aia MURZABEKOVA

ALMATY, Nov 4

(Specially for THE GLOBE)

�The tax policy should be changed to increase VAT for local producers,� new deputy Gani Kasymov told journalists at a press conference on November 3.

The deputy revealed that in the last year the bank revenues had come to 66 billion tenge (US$ 470 million). Nevertheless, the social level of the Kazakhstan population did not improve and the system should be changed, he said.

The deputy also criticised the undeclared capital of as much as 3.4 billion tenge (US $24,216,524.2), which has fled Kazakhstan.

At the same time Kasymov considers it necessary to reduce VAT to 10% for local producers. The deputy offered to legalise undeclared capital. In his opinion, this will balance the national budget.

At the press conference the deputy also touched also financial issues of all export of oil, gas and non-ferrous metals. Information on revenues earned for the national budget, Kasymov said, should be available to every Kazakhstan citizen who lives in the country where democracy is the slogan.


The future Parliament will not be worse than the previous one, - Marat Ospanov

New deputies held a congress

Peter NOVIKOV

ALMATY, Nov 3 (THE GLOBE)

Loyal to the President Otan, Civil Party, as well as deputies of the new Parliament celebrating their victory on November 3 appealed to voters estimating the last election.

Spokesmen were unanimous that the election was honest and democratic. They refuted any falsifications.

Marat Ospanov announced that �the previous Parliament honestly fulfilled its tasks and made its contribution to democracy.� In general, the ex-Speaker highly appreciated the former Parliament.

Some speeches refuted accusations of different falsifications.

New deputies blamed the opposition for all deadly sins. In addition they said that our opposition and some ex-candidates could not lose trying to find a falsification.

Otan deputies were annoyed at the opposition politicians, who did not support the reforms, but called the election illegal.

Deputies expressed their will to work unanimously and closely in the Parliament.

Gani Kasymov spoke in the end of the meeting. His position was double: he pretended to be true to both the opposition and the authorities. At first he defended the opposition. �Yes, at present they are disconnected, but you should not finish them off.� He said the election had been obviously honest and fair. Mr. Kasymov said the President had ordered his subordinates to hold the election honestly. But subordinates (the executive power) again tripped the President up. Before Mr. Kasymov announced that the election held with serious infringements and falsifications.

Now we have the new Parliament. THE GLOBE will keep you informed what the Parliament will be and how it will act!


Angry candidate recreates vote in door to door canvass

District court broke election law , the leader of �Republic-2000� thinks

Askar DARIMBET

ALMATY, Nov 3 (THE GLOBE)

Lira Baiseitova the losing candidate for parliament in the Medeu District is going door to door asking voters to verify how they voted in the second round of parliamentary elections, and she believes her unusual strategy will prove her charge that her opponent stole the election.

Mrs. Baiseitova says activists of �Republic-2000� visited voters in districts where Omarov officially won. At present about 7,000 signatures verifying votes have been collected. So far, according to Baiseitova, the results show Omarov took 5th to 6th place.

�If necessary, we will visit every voter in Medeu circuit. It may take a year, but we will prove that Sharip Omarov illegally entered Parliament,� she concluded.

She undertook the unusual survey because she says the courts would not consider her claim. �The Medeu district court broke the electionlaw, having refused to consider the claim to the chairman of the Medeu election circuit.�

The former candidate who blanketed her district with posters and ran one of the most visible campaigns Almaty has ever seen, appealed to the court on October 17, blaming the chairman of the circuit commission Amangeldy Apushev for delaying and ignoring the claim. Baiseitova said that before she submitted the claim she had informed not only the Central Election Commission, but also the Office of Public Prosecutor, OSCE, and tax police of the infringements.

She thinks election officials broke article 20 (point 6) of the law on elections which provides that decisions and actions of election commissions may be appealed to the higher election commission or in the court. It is not obligatory to appeal to the commissions before appealing to the court.

�We are going to appeal against the decision of the district court in the city court. If necessary, we will appeal to any court,� Baiseitova said. Mrs. Baiseitova accused Sharip Omarov of exceeding the spending limits allowed for the campaign. She also charged fraud in his favour (THE GLOBE #82(400), 22.10.99).


President cannot name himself a democrat, - RPPK activist continues to criticise the Constitution (article 47)

Askar DARIMBET

ALMATY, Nov 3

(THE GLOBE)

�In response to the charge of violating article 47, point 2 of the Constitution submitted to the Supreme Court, we received the refusal to consider it, as this dispute is outside the competence of the Court,� a RPPK activist announced on Wednesday.

Baurzhan Dzharylkapov made his claim to both Parliament Houses and to the President. He protested that the President is responsible for his actions only in case of a high treason or while fulfilling his state duty (THE GLOBE, #81(399), 19.09.99). According to Mr. Dzharylkapov, lawyers to whom he appealed refused to participate in the process. When he submitted the claim, the authorities created a variety of bureaucratic obstacles.

The democratic principle �everyone is equal before the law and the court�, provided by the article 14 (point 1) of the Constitution, is to cover all citizens, including the President, Dzharylkapov said.

- Having analysed article 14 (point 1) and article 47 (point 2) of the Constitution, Mr. Dzharylkapov concluded, �The ruling system of Kazakhstan proves the dictatorial essence of the state.�

Mr. Dzharylkapov thinks that the US Constitution should be used as a model. He mentioned the �Clinton-Levinsky� case as a demonstration of the checks on executive authorities. The RPPK activist asked the President �to make a step toward common people and change the Constitution of Kazakhstan.�

Copies of the charges were sent to all public organisations. Mr. Dzharylkapov is going to request all deputies to discuss this issue in the Parliament.

�I make my claim to the European Court on human rights, as there is no legal mechanism to defend human rights in Kazakhstan. I think the republic being a OSCE member should follow strictly democratic principles,� he concluded.


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