A serious scandal is taking place around Nurzhan Altayev, leader of unregistered Yel Tregi Party and a Presidential Candidate
The Mukalmas Association declared that they did not put forward Altayev’s candidacy to the upcoming elections, while signatures in the minutes of the meetings were fake. Central Election Commission suspended Altayev’s candidacy registration. Astana court called Altayev’s candidacy illegitimate.
Altayev deems above a provocation and intends to bring the Central Election Commission to court.
Is it his PR campaign or a provocation by global secret services – we decided to learn from the “would-be-President”?
Thugs-for-Hire to Claim?
— Mr. Altayev what is your take on what happened?
— The Mukalmas Regional Public Association put myself forward as a Presidential Candidacy. At that meeting, there were 41 members present. There were disputes, of course, 28 persons voted in my favor, 13 –against my candidacy. By majority of votes, I was put forward as a candidate. Corresponding Minutes were signed and submitted to Central Election Commission.
In the course of the Central Election Committee’s conference dedicated to the discussion of my candidacy, thugs-for-hire (Mr. Altayev used the word “Titushki”, a term borrowed from the Ukrainian Maidan of 2014, organized groups of people acting against democratic demonstrations and gatherings) – young athletic men entered the conference room and ignited a scandal. They did not explain who they were and where they came from. Those hired bullies were taken out of the room to the first floor.
Then came a certain Gaziza Amirbekova, a former Mukalmas activist. She was a member of our Party, she was my Deputy. Before that, she worked for the famous Amirzhan Kosanov, in his election HQ.
By the way, she is an agent of secret services
When she worked in our Party, we suffered from information leaks. She was a destructive and detrimental force for the in-house moral climate. We sacked her a year ago and declared that we had no willingness to work with her any further.
I do not exclude that secret services deployed her to Mukalmas.
After submission of my application to the Central Election Commission, Gaziza submitted her letter to the same body, demanding recognition of the Minutes of the Meeting of the Mukalmas conference, by which I was put forward as a presidential candidate, void. In line with that, she filed a claim with a court.
Be advised, that earlier, another Regional Public Association – Veterans of Tajik and Afghan Conflicts, also, put me forward, as their candidate. And at the very decisive moment of time, their leader, Murat Muhamedzhanov, declared in social networks, that they supported Candidate Tokayev.
After that, other Regional Public Associations, one by one, declined my candidacy. I do not exclude, that they all came under heavy pressure.
Mukalmas, turned out the last one standing and they put me forward. But, this not nice situation happened. In virtue, it was an operation regarding neutralization of the independent candidate Altayev, the one who did not report to anybody. That operation was performed in a rather raw way.
I submitted all required documents. Central Election Commission documented my compliance to all legal requirements. Prosecution General, Ministries of Interior and Justice, as well as Public Service Affairs Agency also produced their positive evaluations of my candidacy.
All of a sudden, after I successfully passed the Kazakh Language examination, Central Election Commission announced suspension of my candidacy. That is absolutely illegal and unconstitutional. Our Law Concerning Elections contains a provision, establishing the list of cases and circumstances, under which a candidate’s registration may be rejected.
My case, following Amirbekova’s claim, was supposed to be studied by either an Inter-District Administrative Court or the Supreme Court. But the Gaziza Amirbekova’s claim was reviewed by a Civil Court, for some reasons.
Gaziza Amirbekova, by the way, is not a Mukalmas member.
— Do you intend to bring Central Election Commission to court?
— I have filed a claim with the Supreme Court, stating major violation of Constitution and Kazakhstan legislation by Commission, in the form of absolutely illegal official decisions.
Once they decide to withdraw my candidacy from this race, I will file another claim against Commission. Also, I am now considering an option of filing a criminal claim against all Commission members and Gaziza Amirbekova, which person is spreading lies about myself in social networks.
Where to Get So Much Cash?
— Rumor has it, that in additional to yourself, Mukalmas were considering another candidate – Ualikhan Kaisarov. Rumors are that the Mukalmas Chair demanded USD 20 million from Kaisarov, and because of that the latter refused to run for elections. They say, you, as well, paid a fortune, to be supported during elections. What sum is that, if that not is a secret?
— Do your own thinking. Who, in the world, would pay USD 20 million to be put forward? That is funny. If someone makes up fairy tales, then it should be, at least trustworthy. USD 20 million, give me a break! Where to get so much cash?
As far as I am aware, they did not discuss Kaisarov’s candidacy. In September, though, there was a Mukalmas meeting, at which he was present. He is a member of that Association and, probably, he wanted to be put forward, as a candidate.
But there were no talks about money then.
I was the only independent candidate. I am not that famous, but, at least, I am well known among opposition community. A part of population know me. I am popular, especially, in the southern provinces. Of course, the ruling regime fears my candidacy.
— As far as we know, the so-called Coalition of Democratic Forces wanted to put forward their single candidate. You were one of such single candidates. Why did Coalition fail to unite and put you forward? They say, nobody attended the last gathering of the Coalition…
— I do not know, nobody invited myself to that gathering. There are individuals in Coalition, who think that if they are not running, then nobody else should. In that Coalition, they all fancy themselves future Presidents!
— You imply Bulat Abilov?
— No. Bulat Abilov, on the contrary, was the one who promoted the idea of the single candidate. He was for it. The Coalition had their own chat, in which they voted for either single candidacy or election boycott. Most of members voted for single candidacy, and some individuals were against it.
— Can you report their names?
— Yes, I can! Those are Rysbek Sarsenbay and Muhtar Taizhan. Their candidacies were not compliant. The two individuals never worked in governmental bodies. Their suggestion to boycott election is silly. What is the sense? That won’t change the climate. Boycott will bring effects only if there are mass protests all over the country.
Taizhan and Sarsenbayev are not capable of organizing public gatherings.
Coalition failed to elaborate a common opinion. Some forces in Coalition were pro myself, others put forward Yermurat Bapi. But there was no single opinion. I wanted until the very last moment.
Altayev and Azattyk
— What happened during your live interview with Azattyk Radio? Why did you refuse to answer the question about whose political orders you were executing? Why did you leave the studio in a demonstrative way? In your Facebook page, you called Azattyk a pro-regime project, although they belong with the US State Department.
— You just watch that interview from A to Z, to understand. The interviewer would interrupt me through the whole process of interview. I decided that it did not make any sense to further proceed that useless conversation. And I left.
Azattuk are pro-regime, I am convinced.
I Am Not a Kulibayevist
— Many people think, you are associated with Timur Kulibayev. As far, as we know, your unregistered Yel Tiregi Party was founded on the platform of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, which Union was tutored by Timur Kulibayev, a Son-in-Law of the First President. What do you say to that?
— That is total flimflammery. That is the ruling regime working to discredit Altayev. If there were oligarchs behind me, I would be in jail long ago. If I had cooperation with oligarchs, I would not act openly. There are no oligarchs standing behind myself. And common people are getting convinced that that is so. My rejection is the direct proof of that.
— Well, in that case, where do you mine gold for your so far unregistered party?
— Nowhere! In my party there are middle-level businessmen. They are not rich, but they help. One of them, Askar Umarov, is currently in jail. Today, the regime is trying to neutralize or put in jail all those supporting me. I won’t be surprised if they start some criminal investigation of my activities and put me in jail, as well.
Next One?
— Once, you offered to form a popular shadow cabinet of ministers. Whom would you put in charge of that Government?
— We want people to elect their own Premier. I wanted all opposition parties and forces to form a coalitional government. For such a case, if I, for example, win elections …
So, Who Put You Forward?
— Finally, can you answer that very question you refused to answer during the Azattyk interview?
— What is that?
— Whose political orders do you execute?
— (laughs) People of Kazakhstan, no one else!
— That is strange, then why did you demonstratively tear off that microphone and leave the studio?
— …