Ex-Minister Yelzhan Birtanov and his Deputy Olzhas Abishev were arrested and then brought on the dock. Public resonance was colossal.
Internet is full of speculations and rumors about who stood behind Birtanov’s arrest and trial. According to some of them, ex-Minister was openly against the procurement of the Russian vaccine and gave preference to Chinese vaccine. They say, that caused irritation among those from Old Kazakhstan.
Another supposition is that Birtanov exposed people protecting the criminal pharmaceutical business in Kazakhstan, for which he paid…
But what did really happen? Why Ministers, whom Birtanov wanted to bring to court as defendants, never showed up there? We discussed it with Mr. Birtanov.
«If Minister Musin Came to Court, All Charges Would be Dropped»If Minister Musin Came to Court, All Charges Would be Dropped»
— During trial, you demanded interrogation of the then Prime-Minister Askar Mamin, the then Vice-Premier Yeraly Tugzhanov, the then Minister of Labor and Social Protection Tamara Duisenova and Minister of Digital Development Bagdat Musin. What did those individuals have to do with your criminal case?
— Tamara Duisenova was the person, who initiated the tender and execution of the contract. That is why, I asked to bring her to court and have her interrogated at early stages of the trial. But because, the tender and the contracting process were outside the perimeter of charges against myself, which charges were about the final act of acceptance of the new digital platform, my lawyers chose not to invite her, as there was no necessity to investigate events of 2015-2016.
As for Tugzhanov, he took part in the finalization of the platform development in 2020-2021. He, particularly, took part in the correspondence among Health Ministry, Government and President’s Administration regarding the de-blockage of the platform, because the platform was illegally blocked in August 2020, following a demand from the Financial Monitoring Agency.
Be reminded that the new digital platform was commissioned in operation in June 2020, but the said Agency blocked it and did not allow its operation to full. After that, the Agency interpreted the non-usage of the platform, as a proof that the platform was not operational, which to them meant the proof of my guilt.
Justice Alkenov bothered not to properly review that situation. How can you call myself and Abishev guilty of acceptance of the work that was not done (charges against myself and Abishev claim that all works regarding that platform were not fulfilled), if in August-October 2020, Alexey Tzoy, Azhar Giniyat, Yeraly Tugzhanov and even Head of President’s Administration Yerlan Koshanov had official correspondence, which correspondence was reviewed in court, and addressed the President with the request to de-block the platform, because it was useful for healthcare.
In October 2020, President robustly criticized the Agency and demanded to de-block the platform, but the Agency ignored that demand – once again.
If the platform was flawed and not operational back in 2018 because of the fault of Birtanov and Abishev, then why was it necessary to ask the President to de-block something not finished and non-existent in 2020?
Tzoy and other witnesses from Health Ministry made it clear in the court, that the platform was of use to the country and was almost complete!
I think, the answer is obvious. To save the face and the prestige, and to justify the unsubstantiated criminal investigation, law-enforcers went so far, as to block the platform, which was of vital importance to the country. They did so, by pressing on some members of the Cabinet of Ministers and ignoring President’s demands. That is why, our address to Tugzhanov never got answered.
Tugzhanov was the at the meeting with Ericsson and Croatia Embassy in October 2021, at which they agreed to launch the platform in December 2021.
We wanted to ask those questions to the former Deputy Premier of Kazakhstan, but he did not find the time for that.
The most important witness, who knows the condition of the platform and its capabilities, as well as its necessity, is Bagdat Musin. That is why, Justice Alkenov refused to call him in.
If Musin came and told the truth, the Justice would not be able to further maintain charges. But I doubt, Musin would come and tell the truth.
As I said, many members of the Government are under serious pressure from law-enforcers. Tzoy said, that -–»If we launched the platform, it would be us on the dock”.
Of course, they are afraid to tell the truth…
Tzoy’s Paradox
— Alexey Tzoy was the only one from Health Ministry, who came, but his testimony was not clear and did not support either accusations or arguments against charges. How do you comment that?
— That is a natural thing. That kept wolves happy and sheep secure. Because Tzoy wants to live and work in this country. But the sheep are not secure …
Any adequate Justice would assess Tzoy’s testimony in the court, as something fully confronting the accusations.
From legal standpoint, his testimony indicates there is no Corpus Delicti and the platform is operational. He said that for the interests of state, the platform was supposed to be launched. But that confronted interests of the court and prosecution. Paradox.
Health Ministry Having Secret Talks with Ericsson?
— Why did Health Ministry file a case against yourself and Abishev, but not Ericsson Nicola Tesla, if they support the prosecution and think that the company did not perform?
— Because they know that the platform is operational and they shall never win a process against Ericsson – not in our courts, not in international courts. Behind the backs of the court and the society, they are now having secret talks with the company about resuming the cooperation and putting the platform in operation. Why would they invite the company in the court?
But there is one important nuance they are missing. The controlling interest in the Croatian company is held by Ericsson of Sweden. Soon, their Board of Directors will produce a decision about how the company will react to the action taken by Kazakh authorities and courts.
In his verdict, Justice Alkenov indicated that Ericsson did not fulfill their contractual obligations, envisaged by terms and conditions of an international project, funded by the World Bank.
The above verdict means, that the company is now supposed to be included into the black list in all international financial institutions, such as European Reconstruction and Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and others, and shall be excluded from projects funded by such institutions.
Besides, the case attracted attention from not only Kazakh, but international Mass Media, as well as international IT and Health community. We received a rather curious letter from Ericsson, but I will not disclose its contents today. So, wait and see …
«I Prevented Mafia Making Profits on Medicines»
— In the court, you stated that all accusations against Ericsson were connected to illegal medicinal laundry schemes. Who is in that criminal business? May be, you will disclose their names?
— Names I do not know. Those names do not interest me. If you want names, check, which companies have been winning state procurement tenders in the last 20 years (medicines and medical equipment). Trace the names of the end beneficiaries of those companies. That is a rather simple exercise.
I know that corruption schemes in the sphere of state procurement of medicines and medical equipment were designed more than 20 years. Since that time, they only grew more sophisticated. Myself and my colleagues dismantled many such schemes. But they were re-commissioned and brought back into practice.
I am certain, that sooner or later they will be stopped, likewise all those illegal and anti-popular profits. Many already have realized that the evolution of business in the country and all over the world requires openness and transparency and they abandoned those schemes.
Who in Kazakhstan Benefited from Covid?
— Those schemes – do they exist in the anti-Covid vaccines procurement?
— Or course, because only licensed companies have the right to bring vaccines to Kazakhstan. The question is not about the procurement prices and the rational use of the governmental funds. The question is about the availability of vaccines in due time.
In the beginning of the pandemic, Health Ministry began work with US, European, Russian and Chinese vaccine manufacturers.
We wanted those vaccines ASAP, because we realized that only mass vaccination would protect citizens from future epidemic outbursts.
We agreed with the WHO to take part in the vaccine availability international program. In Summer 2020, in my last days in the office of the Minister, we received a proposal from Chinese manufacturers confirming their readiness to deliver the vaccines to Kazakhstan for clinical testing.
In December 2020, Indian manufacturers of Astra-Zeneca offered to Health Ministry their vaccines, but the Ministry rejected that proposal. Pfizer vaccines came in the last of 2021, although there were opportunities to have them here much earlier, and our President noticed that. And we did not become a part of the WHO programs. It appears complicated for me to understand why all those opportunities were missed.
In the result of that,
the vaccination campaign began only in April 2021, which did not allow to ensure the high level of collective immunity by summer 2021,
when another wave of Covid attacked Kazakhstan and the headcount of those newly infected and victims exceeded indicators of Summer 2020 by 2.5-3 times. I suppose that if we availed ourselves of all opportunities, the vaccination could have been commenced earlier, and we would have that collective immunity earlier.
— Who benefited from your arrest?
— Мany. Not only those in the medical and medicinal sectors, but those in IT, as well. Because the platform would fulfill many tasks, including contribution in state’s fight against corruption. Corruption has those protecting it…
But I am most certain, I will be of greater use to the country and its people, being free.
Sooner or later, the supremacy of law and true justice will return to our country. Many our citizens sincerely crave it. And the times are changing, making that possible.