Kazakhstan Has Felt the Force

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Kazakhstan Has Felt the Force

Last years Kazakhstan has begun a number of joint projects with Russia. Among them the customs union, the main pipe ducts, and also space cooperation. How the country lives in integration process, in interview of «Rosbalt» has told.

— How have you characterized interaction of Russia and Kazakhstan this year, what it was possible to reach and whether there were any problems? 

— I think that between Kazakhstan and Russia basically never existed the big problems, there were any general questions, but we always found mutually acceptable decisions. 2010 is characteristic that besides mutual relations on our space already there is a Customs union, and today we have reached basic arrangements on a condition of uniform economic space. It, of course, introduces certain corrective amendments, as it is not only mutual relations, but also some new principles on which economic activity is based on our territories. On the first place I would like to raise the question that integration processes influence, including an intraeconomic situation. Many questions which pass in territory of Russia and Kazakhstan at present, such as a question of public health services, education modernization and economy — all of them correlate among themselves and allow our economy to be more competitive. Though in itself these questions difficult enough and painful.

— Recently world bank recognized Kazakhstan as the country with the fastest rates of reforms in sphere of improvement of the business environment. How this result what has been made has been reached, for what you recognized at world level?

— We densely enough worked together with the World bank, whose experts have offered us the program on simplification and removal of tariff and nontariff barriers to development of business which we have executed. I think that cooperation within the limits of the Customs union and uniform economic space will help the governments of two countries to create more comfortable and competitive conditions for our businessmen, we will urge on a little even faster to move in this direction.

— Measures which are accepted in support of business, — an indulgence of taxes, reduction of checks, — sometimes create some risks for social sphere. How you managed to avoid it if at all such difficulties arose?

— Really, we have accepted a number of such directions, including drop of taxes (in 2008 — with 30 to 20 %), the VAT — to 12 %. We planned to move even more deeply, but financial crisis hasn’t allowed us to make it. Certainly, receipts in the budget have been to some extent lowered, but, on the other hand, it gives the chance increases of economic activity, and the result of drop of taxes will be visible in some years.

— Realization of new pipeline projects on Caspian sea and what participation in them of Kazakhstan is how much probable in the near future?

— We have arrangement on the beginning of building of the near-Caspian project, this joint of Turkmenia with the Russian Federation through territory of Kazakhstan. But business doesn’t has reached realization. As to the Transcaspian project, I consider as its utopia. I think that it is necessary to expand possibilities of already existing projects.

— What is the amount of investments this year and how problems in bank sector are overcome?

— Unfortunately, as to investments, figure now I can not remember. As to bank sector here really there were big complexities in 2009-10, but all of them are overcome, the bank system is stabilized. Re-structuring of activity, debts of bank system is completely spent, it isn’t a problem any more.

— You now spend the scale program of the forced industrial modernization. As though you have characterized the first stage, whether there are any positive results and how it correlates with changes in the business environment?

— In first half of year it has been opened an order of 70 large enterprises, till the end of the year will be somewhere to 150 and it is concrete practical realization. Besides it the weight of the small and average enterprises that is more important in my opinion as creates the competitive environment has opened. Crisis has, of course, affected, but without this program to overcome it it would be much more difficult. The first results quite good, however, it is impossible to stop on it, the enterprises of Kazakhstan need to find the niches in this process.

— What niches in what Kazakhstan sees the leadership?

— Kazakhstan has certain directions, specializations where we for today are strong. This agriculture, the mining industry, iron and steel industry, oil, gas etc. I Think that it is necessary to achieve perfection in those branches in which we are strong. To take, for example, Australia or Canada — for Kazakhstan it is more suitable model, and to raise labor productivity in those sectors of economy in which we already something have reached also something we are able. And thanks to it there are sectors round these sectors.

— There were conversations that sooner or later Kazakhstan will pass to a Latin. Whether there are any motions in this direction?

— Know, these conversations are conducted 20 years, at us now many other important problems to which should give more attention, for example, development of the Kazakh language as that. We will approach to the decision of this question.

— And how about joint projects across Baikonur?

— Projects on development of Baikonur together with Russia weight. Now on an exit the project on companion «KazSat-2» start, we hope that in the stipulated terms this companion will be started. As a whole we hope that development of space branch between the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan will be and to develop dynamically further.

— Recently you have opened the university of new type on which you lay hopes. All the same this system will be more similar on western or will keep communications with the Soviet system?

— I think that it is necessary to find the best and in a traditional Soviet-Russian education system and to take best of western that the national system which absorbs all the best was formed and allows us to move to the future.

Talked Anastasiya Lozhko

www.rosbalt.ru

 

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