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By Country / Kazakhstan

Kazakh President Demands Firing Of Telecom Chief

September 21, 2006

Nursultan Nazarbaev (file photo) (ITAR-TASS)

September 21, 2006 -- Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev has demanded that the head of the state-owned Kazakhtelekom telecommunications company be removed from office.

Nazarbaev gave instructions to that effect at a September 20 National Security Council meeting.

In comments broadcast on Khabar television, he expressed outrage at reports that Kazakhtelekom President Khairat Karibjanov is receiving a monthly salary of $365,000 and an annual bonus of more than $2 million.

Turning to his prime minister, Nazarbaev then ordered him to sack Karibjanov "without delay," adding, "He has no moral right to work."

Nazarbaev also threatened to publish the names of all other overpaid public-sector managers "unless they return the money themselves."

His comments do not appear in the press release issued by his administration after the National Security Council meeting.

The press release just says participants discussed "concrete examples" of company executives "who, in violation of all ethical norms, receive incredibly high salaries."

(Khabar, Kazakhstan Today, akorda.kz)