Well-known Kazakhstani journalist and blogger Ardabek Soldatbai has made a loud statement, Neonomad.kz reports.
On social media he demanded the dismissal of Nurlan Sauranbayev, head of the national company KTZ (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy).
“We carried out a journalistic investigation into KTZ's terrible service and also into corruption in this sphere. New, unending complaints from consumers across the country have finally begun to reach the competent bodies,” the activist said.
In particular he pointed to the disorder and chaos on the railway: perpetually late trains, dirty old carriages, fatal accidents, repeated derailments, an artificial shortage of tickets and much more.
“The question of who is responsible for this remains open, but it seems deputies have started dealing with it. Let us think about who may be to blame for the situation, for the fact that in 30 years this strategic facility of the country has not developed?” Ardabek Soldatbai noted.
The journalist created a petition demanding the resignation of the head of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Nurlan Sauranbayev.
“So it would be logical for the chairman of the board of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Nurlan Sauranbayev, to resign. This man has not justified the president's trust and has not learned to fight the corruption that has riddled KTZ through and through. On the contrary, he has spent billions of dollars on buying equipment and carriages abroad that are dozens of times more expensive than our domestic products. We insist: Sauranbayev must leave his post. And together with him dozens of corrupt managers at all levels must be replaced by more worthy specialists,” the petition says.
The document also states that the role of the railway industry in the country's economy cannot be underestimated. The prices of many goods, such as petrol, food, clothing, household goods and metals, are directly linked to this industry. Passenger transport today leaves much to be desired.
“We draw deputies' attention to these numerous problems. Perhaps they will at last get to the bottom of it and demand the resignation of the head of KTZ. We have not deserved such treatment. We, on behalf of the whole people, can draw up a petition to prove we are right and to restore order on Kazakhstan's railways,” the petition concludes.
Earlier, on the programme “Itogi” on the Khabar TV channel, Mazhilis deputy Marat Bashimov called for the KTZ leadership to report to the people's elected representatives. And the deputy chairman of the board of the Republican Association of Consumers of Kazakhstan, Tursun Dzhagparova, demanded that the head of KTZ be dismissed and a criminal case opened against the chairman of the board of JSC National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Nurlan Sauranbayev.
