According to him, corruption most often manifests itself in government structures rather than among ordinary citizens. Corrupt practices typically arise during the allocation of budget funds.
Tashiev reminded that after Sadyr Japarov came to power in 2020, two key tasks were set for law enforcement agencies: combating corruption and organized crime.
In 2023-2024, thanks to the measures being implemented, thieves and corrupt officials, as well as individuals he referred to as saboteurs, have been held accountable. The state has managed to reclaim land, property, and resources. Nevertheless, many of the corrupt officials, according to him, have escaped punishment.
“People said: the person was detained yesterday, and today he is already free. No one has gone behind bars, no one has faced punishment. Yes, their property is confiscated and returned to the state, but the guilty party remains unpunished. They are detained, and then they are free again,” Tashiev recalls.
The head of the GKNB noted that the demands of the people were just, and he fully agrees with them. For example, he spoke about a high-profile official who previously held the position of prime minister and was released after paying a fine.
“At one of the events, it seems it was a kuran okutu, I found myself next to this person. I felt extremely uncomfortable. We seized his factories, plants, and farms, handed them over to the state, but he still sat next to me. It was so unpleasant that I couldn’t even eat. I felt out of place. In the end, we detained the person, and he was released after paying a fine, and he sits next to me,” Tashiev shared.
He also provided examples where officials detained for corruption crimes were released after paying a fine, then had their convictions annulled, and resumed holding high positions, continuing to engage in corruption.
“Then we realized that decisive measures needed to be taken, otherwise our fight would be fruitless. Therefore, together with the president, we initiated changes to the law on combating corruption. By the end of 2024, these changes were adopted. According to the new norms, individuals convicted of corruption, even if they admit their guilt, cooperate with the investigation, and compensate for the damage, must serve at least half of the sentence provided by law. There are also rules stating that relatives of those convicted of corruption cannot hold government positions,” Tashiev concluded.
