News from the aviation world seems to resemble a surrender to foreigners. One port surrendered. Another one followed. The company surrendered… What’s next?
Renowned political analyst Daniyar Ashimbayev expressed criticism about the ongoing events on his Telegram channel:
«The situation in civil aviation, to put it mildly, raises bewilderment. Almaty Airport was handed over to the management of the Turkish company ‘TAV Airports’ in 2021. It’s hard to say that the airport significantly improved its operations. Recently, it became known that the airport will be purchasing Jet-A1 aviation fuel from China. Despite ‘KazMunayGas’ stating that this fuel can be produced in Kazakhstan, infrastructure modernization at the airports is needed. However, priority was given to the Chinese.
The capital’s airport is handed over to the management of ‘Terminals Holding’ (UAE) for a year. Simultaneously, the government exempts it from dividend payments for the year 2022 ‘for the purpose of acquiring special transport and equipment used in aircraft servicing.’ The question arises: how will the new manager develop the port without these dividends?
Vietnam’s ‘SOVICO Group’ plans to acquire the airline ‘Qazaq Air,’ which ‘Samruk’ cannot privatize, and the Aktobe airport.
The aviation administration of Kazakhstan is led by an experienced but Romanian manager.
Now the president of Togo is coming to Kazakhstan. People are already making ironic remarks about how they will hand over the airport to this wonderful African country.
It is completely unclear what is behind all these decisions. Why is it necessary to hand over any state asset, representing strategic value and capable of generating profit, to the first foreigner that comes along?
The situation with the Civil Aviation Committee and ‘Air Astana’ is a separate discussion.»
