Fancy cars ahead of Putin attending forum

By Saule Tasboulatova

The Atyrau regional government administration is buying 14 executive-class cars ahead of the arrival of the guests to the 11th Forum of interregional cooperation of Kazakhstan and Russia where heads of government are going to participate. For this purpose the regional government allocated 150 million tenge, each car costing $60 000. Last year the regional government bought 62 cars (average price of cars were $26 000 each) for total amount of 250 million tenge. Why do we need so many expensive cars and who is travelling on them?

We requested information from the lot client – the government institution “Public office of the Governor of Atyrau Oblast, the Republic of Kazakhstan”. According to Igilik Aubakirov, deputy head of the governor’s office, all cars are purchased from domestic producers for the meeting of distinguished guests of the forum. It is expected that 14 governors from the regions of the Russian Federation, the ministers -  both Russian and Kazakh, all regional governors, businessmen and reps of major companies will arrive to the forum.

We were explained that the replacement of vehicle fleet has been dictated by depreciation of the part the government cars.

Meanwhile, on website of government purchases, we found the information that last year the regional governor’s office purchased cars for the solid sum -  250 million tenge.

Class C 17 cars for the total amount of 87 million tenge had enhanced trim line, HPS, ABS, SRS, PEP,  heated seats, leather interior, in other words, they cost $34 000 each.  Class D 8 cars for the total amount of 46,2 million tenge cost $40 000 each.  

- We purchased cars last year, but they mostly were for district governors, deputy mayors, various government agencies. For example we purchased executive-class SsangYongs for deputy governors and “Skodas” for Internal Affairs Department,”- said Aubakirov.

According to Aubakirov, average monthly maintenance costs of government cars (together with  driver’s salary) are 220-230 thousand tenge.    

As for the top management, they don't hurry to change their official cars to domestic ones. Governor of Atyrau Oblast Baktykozha Izmukhambetov and his first deputy use silver “Mercedeses” (2004-05 years of production) that they inherited from Aslan Mussin’s team and the city Mayor is driving on “Toyota Landcruiser”.

Photos by Tamara Soukhomlinova