Officials and unemployed people who are not rich according to their tax returns contributed tens of millions soms to the parties. Who are they? Investigation
Many unemployed people and poor officials, according to their tax returns, contributed tens of millions soms to the parties participating in the elections of deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh. The financial publication Economist.kg investigated the five parties with the largest election funds using open data on who exactly credited the large sums of money and where they got the money from.
In fact, it turned out that several dozens of officials and the unemployed managed to "accumulate", "borrow from relatives", "earn" and "sell property" to contribute to the party's fund, most often in the amount of 1.5 million soms. Who they are and how the parties themselves explain the origin of contributions is described in this article.
It should be noted that according to the legislation, a voluntary donation of individuals to a party cannot exceed 200 thousand soms, and a contribution from the party candidate's own funds — 1.5 million soms.
- Due to the large volume of data, the investigation was conducted for five parties with the largest electoral funds – "Mekenim Kyrgyzstan", "Birimdik", "Kyrgyzstan", "Ata Meken" and "Bir Bol".
"Mekenim Kyrgyzstan"
This party is the leader in terms of the size of its electoral fund, which reached 108.2 million soms as of September 18. The main part of it is the party's own funds, but there are also contributions from candidates' personal funds: from 14 thousand soms to 1.5 million soms.
There are unemployed people and officials of various ranks among those who have donated large sums of money:
Ulan Sadaliev — he's second on the party list of "Mekenim Kyrgyzstan". Currently, Sadaliev has temporarily resigned from his post as First Deputy Akim of Sokuluk District (he has held this post since August 2017). He was able to donate 1.5 million to the party's fund. Where he got the money is unknown - the tax returns of the municipal official are absent in the databases of the State Personnel Service and the Tax Service.
Talantbek Sarbagyshev is the 17th in the list and he temporarily resigned from his post as the Mayor of Cholpon-Ata. His Unified Tax Return (UTR) for 2018 (no tax returns in the databases for other years) indicated earnings of 350 thousand soms, he also has no property at all, but he transferred 500 thousand soms to the party fund.
Mirlan Amanturov - 41st position in the party list. His tax returns are not yet publicly available, as for the previous year they will be published only in October-November, but he worked as Vice Mayor of Bishkek throughout 2019. There was already a scandal with Amanturov at the end of July, when he, while still a municipal official, transferred 35 thousand soms to the party. The money was then returned to him, since he was still actually in the position of Vice Mayor. He put one and a half million in his account on September 9.
Erlan Bazarbaev - the head of the Department of Law and Customs Affairs at the Faculty of Law of Kyrgyz National University named after Zh. Balasagyn. He put his 1.35 million soms on the account of "Mekenim Kyrgyzstan". He is 45th on the list.
Samidin Mamataliev is on the 59th position in the candidates list and is listed as unemployed, and he transferred 1.5 million soms from his own funds.
Ravshan Abdullaev - the former Deputy Minister of Justice, now unemployed, is in the candidates list only on the 73rd position. But despite this, he decided to donate his 1.5 million soms to the party. His Unified Tax Return is absent in any database.
Rustam Sakiev - works as the head of the Sales Department at Severelectro, according to the candidates list. He donated 1.4 million soms to the party, ranking 151th among those willing to receive a mandate from "Mekenim Kyrgyzstan".
The editorial staff contacted the party headquarters with a corresponding request. As soon as an official response is received, the editorial staff will publish it additionally in this article and in a separate article.
"Birimdik"
The electoral fund of the "Birimdik" party as of September 18 was the second largest and amounted to 97.4 million soms. Most of the funds – 64.5 million soms -are contributions from 43 candidates of 1.5 million soms each.
More than 30 former deputies of previous convocations of the Jogorku Kenesh are running from this party. In addition, there are officials (13 people) who have worked in the public service for a long time. When studying their tax returns, it raises the question of the origin of the sums they contributed to the party fund.
13 officials who contributed 1.5 million soms to the "Birimdik" fund:
Ulukbek Kochkorov - Minister of Labor and Social Development since October 2018, is second in the list of candidates. Since 2009, he has been a civil servant, as well as a member of the V convocation of the Parliament (2010-2015). For 2018, his total income was only 343 thousand soms. There are no tax returns for other years – this, by the way, is a violation of the law on declaring income and expenses of officials.
Aida Kasymalieva is the eighth in the list. The deputy of the last convocation of SDPK and Deputy Speaker. According to the tax returns, she does own any property. In 2017, her income was 577 thousand soms, in 2018 - 673 thousand soms.
Zamirbek Osmonov is the 23rd candidate from the party. He has been in the public service for 20 years. He was the Chairman of the Financial Police. In 2015, he earned 441 thousand soms. In 2016, his total income was 464 thousand soms. In 2018, he reported only 141 thousand soms earned — 11.7 thousand per month.
Omurbek Bakirov — another deputy who switched from SDPK. In the new party for him, he goes under number 30. In 2018, he indicated an income of 86 thousand soms. According to the tax return, he does not own any other property. But he was able to save 1.5 million soms for "Birimdik".
Tagaev Nurdin - before the election, he was the head of the representative office of the Customs Service of Kyrgyzstan in Russia. He contributed 1.5 million soms. He is number 33 on the list of candidates. Since 1997, he has been a customs official. His tax returns are not publicly available.
Nurgazy Nishanov - before the election, he was the General Director of the "Kyrgyzteploenergo" state enterprise, ranked 34th in the list of candidates. In 2015, he reported that he received a profit of 335 thousand soms as a deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh. In 2016, he earned 665 thousand soms.
Aida Ismailova - a Deputy of the last convocation of the "Respublica–Ata Zhurt" faction and the former Deputy Prime Minister. She is number 36 on the list of candidates. In 2015, she earned more than 1.5 million soms, and also indicated five LLCs in the trust property. In 2016 and 2017, her revenue amounted to 650 thousand soms. In 2018, she indicated 680 thousand soms of income.
Pamirbek Zholbolduev- this candidate is on the 42nd position in the list of "Birimdik" and he also contributed 1.5 million soms. He has been conducting research and teaching activities for 24 years and is a Prorector at Kyrgyz State University of Construction, Transport and Architecture. No business is registered for him except for the fact that he is the founder of the "Institute of innovative professions".
Abdybek Dyushaliev - a Deputy of the last convocation from the "Respublika–Ata Zhurt" faction, and he is the 57th candidate from "Birimdik". In the only published tax return of Dyushaliev for 2018 he indicated his income in the amount of 970 thousand soms.
Kurmanbek Dyikanbaev - before the elections, he was the President's authorized representative in the Parliament and 58th candidate to the Parliament from the party. In 2015, he earned 629 thousand soms. His income in 2018 was in the range of 658 thousand soms. There are no tax returns for other years.
Abdumutal Abdillahatov — he is 73rd in the list of contenders for the mandate. Since 2015, he has held the position of an expert in the the Department for handling appeals of citizens in the Executive Office of the President. In the only published tax return for 2016, his income amounted to 532 thousand soms.
Aliza Soltonbekova - has many years of experience in the public service, before the election — the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Development. She is in the 88th position in the list of candidates. In 2015, she indicated that she earned 754 thousand soms. In 2016, her income amounted to 845 thousand soms. In 2018 — a total of 364 thousand soms.
Ulan Esengul uulu is listed 131st in the list of candidates, whether his turn will come until the end of the upcoming convocation is unknown, but he contributed 1.5 million soms to the election fund. He was the government's authorized representative to the Issyk-Kul region, and before that he headed the Ton district state administration. In 2015, the official earned only 57 thousand soms. In 2016, earnings amounted to 331 thousand soms. The editorial staff did not find any tax returns for other years.
The editorial staff contacted the party headquarters with a corresponding request. As soon as an official response is received, the editorial staff will publish it additionally in this article and in a separate article.
«Kyrgyzstan"
This party is in third place by the size of the election fund, it reached 90.5 million soms. In "Kyrgyzstan", there are nine candidates who donated 1.5 million soms from their own funds to the election fund, and one candidate contributed 1 million soms.
When comparing the document on the formation of the fund and the official list of candidates, it turned out that three donors are not among those who want to receive a mandate at all. Two of them are well-known officials.
Persons who donated 1.5 million soms and are not on the list of candidates:
Mirlan Esenkulov - he is not on the list of the party, but he donated 1.5 million soms for it being the Director of the Talas High Voltage Electric Networks Enterprise (THVENE) of the National Electric Network of Kyrgyzstan OJSC branch. His tax returns are not available in the databases of the State Personnel Service and the Tax Service.
Dilshat Abdyrazakov — he is also not on the list of candidates, but he earned 1.5 million soms for the party as an assistant to the plenipotentiar representative in the Talas region. The tax return is not publicly available, but in 2019, he was included in the list of declarants who submitted the Unified Tax Return in violation of the statutory deadline.
Nazgul Kanat kyzy- deposited 1 million soms into the party's account, but she is also not on the list of candidates. Nothing is known about this citizen, and there is no data about her in the Tax Service database. On her Facebook page, she uses the "mask" of the "Kyrgyzstan" party on the profile picture.
The editorial staff managed to contact Dilshat Abdyrazakov and ask him a question about this situation.
"Yes, I was a candidate from the "Kyrgyzstan" party, but then I voluntarily withdrew from the list. At this time, as a member of the party, I continue to assist in the elections. About the money: yes, I transferred it to a special account. Money is spent efficiently" - said the Assistant Governor about how he parted with his own 1.5 million.
The editorial staff was informed by the CEC that if a candidate was indeed on the party's list and left it, he/she must receive all money over 200 thousand soms back.
Candidates from "Kyrgyzstan" who invested 1.5 million soms each:
Nurbek Alimbekov - on the 3rd position in the list of candidates from "Kyrgyzstan", the current member of Parliament. In his four years (2015-2018) in the service of the legislator, his earnings varied from 720 to 880 thousand soms. Previously, we wrote that Alimbekov did not mention a part of his wife's business in his tax return - large construction companies that build comfort and premium-class residential complexes in Bishkek and Osh and several commercial firms.
Azizbek Tursunbaev is in 5th position. Another current member of the parliament on the list of candidates. In 2015, the parliamentarian indicated that he earned only 73.4 thousand soms for the entire year. In the next three years, his income was in the range of 660-770 thousand soms (58 thousand per month).
Daiyr Kenekeev — on 31st position only. Before running in the election, he was a Director of Uchkun OJSC, and previously - a government plenipotentiary representative to the Talas region and an official with a fairly modest income. In 2018, he earned 457 thousand soms. In 2015-2016, his income was in the range of 240 thousand (20 thousand per month).
Kuban Myrzakanov — on 59th position. Unemployed, and previously the Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Industry, Energy and Subsoil Use (GKPEN). However, it turned out that while working on public position, he was able to invest his 1.5 million soms in the party's fund. At the same time, in his only Unified Tax Return for 2016, he indicated earnings of 291 thousand soms for the whole year (24 thousand per month).
Tilek Naamatbekov — on 73th position, but he donated 1.5 million soms for the party. Listed as an individual entrepreneur without any details.
The editorial staff contacted the party headquarters with a corresponding request. A public relations specialist from "Kyrgyzstan" suggested that journalists address these questions to the CEC. If the party still wants to provide an official response, the editorial staff will publish it additionally in this article and in a separate article.
"Ata Meken"
As of September 18, the party's election fund totaled 48 million soms. In "Ata Meken", large sums of money were contributed to the election fund mainly by business candidates. However, some of the candidates for the Parliament held public offices, but at the same time they contributed large sums of money along with businessmen. There are also individuals who have contributed huge amounts of their own money for the benefit of the party, but are absent from the list of candidates.
Persons who donated 1.5 million soms each and are not on the list of candidates:
Maksat Mambetov - made a voluntary donation of 200 thousand soms, and then 1.3 million as a candidate. However, he is not on the party's list. Representatives of the "Ata Meken" party, in response to the request Economist.kg, reported that they will return his money before the end of the campaign period.
Government officials who contributed large sums to the election fund:
Eldar Abakirov - is one of the top five candidates, he contributed 1.3 million soms. Now he is listed as unemployed, but before that he served as the Deputy Minister of Economy. In 2016, in his tax return, he indicated an income of 232 thousand soms. In 2018 already, he earned 770 thousand soms.
The candidate commented on his contribution and said that his family got the money through the sale of real estate, some of it was used to form a contribution to the party.
Bektur Ainabaev - the 30th candidate from the party, contributed 1.4 million soms. During the election, he suspended his powers of the inspector of the Customs Escort Department in Naryn. In 2015, in the tax returns, he indicated an income of 414 thousand soms.
Our editorial staff contacted him, and he told us that his relatives and friends collected money for the election campaign.
"Bir Bol"
"Bir Bol" closes the top five parties with the most impressive election funds. In this election, preliminarily, the political association will spend 38.5 million soms on the race.
Almambet Shykmamatov is the first number in the list of candidates from the party and former member of the parliament from the "Ata Meken" party. In 2015, according to tax reports, he earned only 152 thousand soms, and in 2016 - more than 3 million soms as a parliamentarian, while the origin of this money is unknown. There is no tax return for 2017. In 2018, his income was only about 900 thousand soms. According to the tax return, he does not have any property, including his own housing. He deposited 1.5 million soms into the party's account.
Nurbek Murashev - has been unemployed since May 2019, and he is eleventh on the list. The same ex-Minister of Agriculture, to whom journalists came to the office with rotten potatoes.
Murashev is going to the elections with this party again: in 2015 he already occupied the deputy seat and stayed there until 2017, when he was appointed Minister of Agriculture. In his tax return for 2016, he wrote "50 thousand soms" in the income column. During the next two years, Murashev earned 640,000 soms a year - an average of 53,000 soms a month. Neither he nor his close relative owns any property or even their own housing, but he contributed 1.5 million soms.
The editorial staff requested a comment from the party headquarters. They reported that the candidates from "Bir Bol" Almambet Shykmamatov and Nurbek Murashev invested their own funds, as well as funds voluntarily transferred by their supporters, friends and relatives for campaigning.
It should be noted that the names of the candidates' relatives and friends are unknown, and according to the Instruction on formation of election funds of parties, anonymous donations are prohibited. Having bypassed the official account of the party, these individuals did not provide their full names and did not make the payment officially.
"This is a kind of fundraising that has been practiced abroad for a long time, in the Kyrgyz sense. Our party believes that raising funds for the election campaign is the only correct way to finance the campaign, since the involvement of citizens in the electoral process will strengthen the accountability of deputies and communication with the electorate, "Bir Bol" staff believes.
The party did not tell why friends and relatives of the candidates did not deposit their money into the party's account openly indicating their data.
Economist.kg will continue to monitor the election funds of the parties.
Financial Publication Economist.kg thanks the Common Cause Public Foundation for its assistance in preparing our material.
