Global Integrity Report

Kazakhstan Home

Facts

Timeline

Notebook

Integrity Scorecard

2008 Assessment

Kazakhstan: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Kazakhstan: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Budget Processes
Indicators		Score
40	Can the legislature provide input to the national budget?	75
41	Can citizens access the national budgetary process?	25
42	Is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?	100
43	Is the legislative committee overseeing the expenditure of public funds effective?	58

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Can the legislature provide input to the national budget?

40a: In law, the legislature can amend the budget.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Constitutional law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the status of its deputies, Oct. 16, 1995, #2529 (with changes and additions in accordance with the state on June 19, 2007), Article 16

Peer Review Comments: Usually, the legislature reviews the government-prepared budget.

40b: In practice, significant public expenditures require legislative approval.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: All significant government expenditures (defined as any project costing more than 1% of the total national budget), must be approved by the legislature. This includes defense and secret programs, which may be debated in closed hearings. <p>50 Score Criteria: Most significant government expenditures (as defined) are approved by the legislature, but some exceptions to this rule exist. This may include defense programs, an executive\'s personal budget, or other expenses. <p>0 Score Criteria: The legislature does not have the power to approve or disapprove large portions of the government budget, or the legislature does not exercise this power in a meaningful way.$

Comments:

References: Alibekov Saylau, professor, Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, July, 20, 2008, Almaty

Kozyreva Evgeniya, president of the Feminist League, Aug. 4, 2008, Almaty, Kazakhstan

40c: In practice, the legislature has sufficient capacity to monitor the budget process and provide input or changes.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Alibekov Saylau, professor, Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, July, 20, 2008, Almaty

Kozyreva Evgeniya, president of the Feminist League, Aug. 4, 2008, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Can citizens access the national budgetary process?

41a: In practice, the national budgetary process is conducted in a transparent manner in the debating stage (i.e. before final approval).

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Alibekov Saylau, professor, Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, July, 20, 2008, Almaty

Kozyreva Evgeniya, president of the Feminist League, Aug. 4, 2008, Almaty, Kazakhstan

41b: In practice, citizens provide input at budget hearings.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Alibekov Saylau, professor, Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, July, 20, 2008, Almaty

Kozyreva Evgeniya, president of the Feminist League, Aug. 4, 2008, Almaty, Kazakhstan

41c: In practice, citizens can access itemized budget allocations.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Alibekov Saylau, professor, Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, July, 20, 2008, Almaty

Kozyreva Evgeniya, president of the Feminist League, Aug. 4, 2008, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?

42: In law, is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Decision of the Bureau of Mazhilis, Parliament of Republic Kazakhstan, Nov. 20, 2007, Appendix 1, 72-IV

Is the legislative committee overseeing the expenditure of public funds effective?

43a: In practice, department heads regularly submit reports to this committee.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Alibekov Saylau, professor, Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, July, 20, 2008, Almaty

Kozyreva Evgeniya, president of the Feminist League, Aug. 4, 2008, Almaty, Kazakhstan

43b: In practice, the committee acts in a non-partisan manner with members of opposition parties serving on the committee in an equitable fashion.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: The committee is comprised of legislators from both the ruling party (or parties) and opposition parties in a roughly equitable distribution. All members of the committee -- including opposition party members -- are able to fully participate in the activities of the committee and influence the committee\'s work to roughly the same extent as any other member of the committee. <p>50 Score Criteria: The committee is comprised of legislators from both the ruling party (or parties) and opposition parties although the ruling party has a disproportionate share of committee seats. The chairperson of the committee may be overly influential and curb other members\' ability to shape the committee's activities. <p>0 Score Criteria: The committee is dominated by legislators of the ruling party and/or the committee chairperson. Opposition legislators serving on the committee have in practice no way to influence the work of the committee.$

Comments:

References: Alibekov Saylau, professor, Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, July, 20, 2008, Almaty

Kozyreva Evgeniya, president of the Feminist League, Aug. 4, 2008, Almaty, Kazakhstan

43c: In practice, when necessary, this committee initiates independent investigations into financial irregularities.

Score:

100

Comments: Parliamentary law does not contain any articles or provisions requiring the legislative committee overseeing the expenditure of public finds or initiating independent investigations into financial irregularities to be competent.

References: Alibekov Saylau, professor, Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, July, 20, 2008, Almaty

Kozyreva Evgeniya, president of the Feminist League, Aug. 4, 2008, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Peer Review Comments: There is an agency called Control over Execution of the Republican Budget; it is responsible for the investigating cases of budgetary abuse.