In Kazakhstan, anti-corruption fighters save budget money through conversations

The budget of Kostanay region was saved by $162 000 thanks to the staff of the Regional Anti-Corruption Department in Kostanay region.

According to Ruslan Guseynov, the officer for especially important cases of the Anti-Corruption Service of Kostanay region, since the beginning of this year, the department has been monitoring public procurements in order to inflate planned prices.

“The fact that the price deviates from the average market value directly is not a corruption offense. However, the presence of such facts clearly indicates the threats of inefficient and senseless spending of budget funds by customers, which is inseparably linked with corruption risks,” Guseynov says.

At the same time, the officer explains, if facts of unjustified price increases for certain goods are revealed in budgetary organizations, anti-corruption fighters meet with the heads of these organizations and conduct “convincing conversations” with them.

“For example, the special school for children in Kostanay with special educational needs planned to purchase a number of household and technical goods totaling $9300. However, after a convincing and constructive dialogue with the department, this amount was reduced to $4500. Another example: The Regional Center for Amateur Folk Art, Cinema and Video Fund of the Department of Culture under the mayor’s office of Kostanay region announced a competition for the purchase of souvenirs for prize funds and awards in the amount of $65 800. Recommendations were sent to the Center to reduce the prices of planned purchases. After that, changes were made to the plan, and the total amount for the lots was $2400. Thus, the budget savings amounted to $63 400,” Guseynov said.

He also added that since the beginning of this year, convincing conversations and recommendations were held in 16 state organizations in the region, due to which it was possible to save $162 000.

“These figures clearly show that, despite the relatively short timeframe for its implementation, anti-corruption monitoring of public procurement, namely as an instrument of preventive influence, has a much greater positive effect in comparison with punitive measures, both on the financial discipline of customers and on the actual saving of budget money, which is especially important in the context of the announced global crisis,” the Anti-Corruption Service officer summarizes.