Over 600 thousand subpar products, totalling 11 billion Kazakh tenge, illegally imported into Kazakhstan.
A Revealing Parliamentary Session
In a shocking disclosure, Senator Andrei Lukin exposed a whopping 11 billion tenge worth of subpar and hazardous goods that sneaked their way into Kazakhstan. These goods were imported under the radar, with the help of around 15,000 illegal certificates and over 1,500 deceitful declarations, as revealed during a Parliament session.
Lukin accused the National Center of Accreditation of being the source of these violations. He pointed out various loopholes, such as incomplete documentation, false declarations, counterfeit certificates, certificates issued without inspecting the manufacturing facilities, and certificates granted to organizations directly linked to the NCA. Lukin also criticized the accreditation process falling outside of competence and compromising the procedure for confirmation of conformity.
With the government's control over these issues being questioned, Lukin initiated a parliamentary inquiry and drew it to the attention of the Prime Minister.
While the quality of goods is under the scanner, so is the state of Kazakh roads, especially in the Atyrau region. Senator Gumar Dyusembayev has raised concerns about the alarming annual increase in road accidents in the region, which he attributed to the deplorable condition of the roads.
Dyusembayev pointed out that while the number of road accidents stood at 65 during the period of 2016-2017, it soared to 111 cases by the end of 2019, resulting in 59 fatalities and 209 injuries. The Atyrau-Uralsk road, in particular, is struggling to bear the load of 7,000 vehicles daily, which is far beyond its current capabilities.
Despite the lack of specific data on road accidents in Atyrau, Kazakhstan's broader safety trends might offer valuable insights. The government's response to safety concerns in other sectors, such as workplace safety, could potentially be applied to road safety if needed.
Recent focus on workplace safety has led to audits of production facilities and better training programs. However, specific road safety initiatives remain to be seen. To effectively tackle the issue of road accidents, it's crucial for local authorities to gather and analyze more data on road safety in the Atyrau region, which could guide targeted interventions and safety measures for the region's roads.
- Senator Andrei Lukin's accusations against the National Center of Accreditation have led to a call for strengthening the industry's regulatory processes, including the scrutiny of 500,000 declarations and certificates.
- The on-going parliamentary inquiry, initiated by Lukin, could potentially lead to a political shift in Kazakhstan's finance sector, as policies are revised to prevent future violations.
- In a concerning parallel, Senator Gumar Dyusembayev has urged the strengthening of traffic management in the Atyrau region, following the revelation of a 500% increase in road accidents over a three-year period.
- As the Kazakh Parliament delves into general-news topics like subpar goods and road safety, industry leaders and policymakers alike are encouraged to reevaluate and enhance their regulatory measures.
- With the focus on consumer protection and traffic management, there's an opportunity for Kazakhstan to lead the way in both finance and traffic safety, setting a strong example in Central Asia.
