The head of the Akmola Region Marat Akhmetzhanov was asked whether Bolat Marzhikpayev and the family of Bolat Nazarbayev obtained land in Burabay through connections, as he had previously claimed. The akim gave an evasive answer: any citizen could have obtained plots illegally, not necessarily a high-ranking official, and the law enforcement authorities should look into it.
The akim of the Akmola Region, Marat Akhmetzhanov, answered questions from journalists at the Central Communications Service (CCS). The discussion touched on a sensitive topic — the allocation of land plots within the territory of the State National Nature Park (SNNP) "Burabay".
The situation, as Akhmetzhanov explained, turned out to be multi-layered. Firstly, there are plots that were allocated for individual housing construction even before the creation of the national park — their owners will remain in place. Secondly, there are plots that were once allocated but never developed. Thirdly, there are lands that should have gone to auction but were instead leased and then resold "in violation of the law."
"Today the issue is about the seizure of undeveloped land plots. There are some obtained 10 years ago through connections or whatever, I don't know, there are hectares that have not been developed. The question here is about legality. A legal assessment will be given as to how this happened, to whom and for what merits they were issued," stated Akhmetzhanov.
The editor-in-chief of NEGE and Nege.Aqsha, Adelaide Auespekova, asked for clarification: when the akim spoke about those who obtained land "through connections," did he mean Bolat Marzhikpayev, the late Bolat Nazarbayev, and his children.
"I say, anyone could have obtained it through connections. This must be decided by the law enforcement authorities. I mean, if they were obtained in violation of the law, the law enforcement authorities should get to the bottom of it. Who obtained it, what law they violated, on what basis the houses were provided. It could be any citizen, not necessarily a high-ranking official. It could be corruption, it could be a bribe, it could be graft," replied the head of the region.
For context, in June, the Vice-Minister of Agriculture Yerbol Taszhupekov reported that the Department for Land Resource Management of the Akmola Region had filed a lawsuit against Bolat Marzhikpayev, businesswoman Maira Nurturina, and the Land Relations Department of the Burabay District.
The lawsuit was filed based on a representation from the regional prosecutor's office regarding possible violations in the transfer of plots within the territory of the SNNP "Burabay". Bolat Marzhikpayev is the brother of Yermek Marzhikpayev, who served as akim of the Akmola Region from 2019 to 2023, then was Minister of Tourism and Sports, and later an advisor to the Prime Minister.
Back in March 2023, the FBRC editorial team exposed the business empire of Yermek Marzhikpayev's family following an accidental slip of the tongue during an interview on the YouTube channel "Obozhayu". While serving as akim of the Akmola Region, he carelessly mentioned his wife's surname — Gulsara Kurmanova. The investigation revealed a sprawling network (https://t.me/fund_anticorr/2818) of family businesses: hotels in Borovoe, numerous companies, and the active involvement of brothers and nephews in commercial activities.
Later, it became known that the department also filed a lawsuit to invalidate a land plot lease agreement in Burabay with KIK-Astana LLP. In addition to the company itself, the children of the late Bolat Nazarbayev — Nurbol, Khanbolat and Khantore Nazarbayevs, as well as Albina Nazarbayeva and the Land Relations Department of the Burabay District, are involved in the case.
The issue of seizing plots in Burabay has been repeatedly raised in the media. Recently, the FBRC editorial team published an article which examined in detail the situation with the mass seizure of plots and the possible connection of this process to the designation of new territories for the gambling business.
However, the regional authorities denied this information. Akim Akhmetzhanov stated that the information about the construction of a casino is not true — the sites for gaming zones have already been determined by a government decree, and the placement of new such facilities is not under discussion.