The Akimat of Atyrau has filed a lawsuit to declare the purchase and sale agreements for the land plot between previous owners invalid. The contested territory was previously a historically significant place for local residents - a park named after Shevchenko. However, let's take it step by step.
In the 1920s, the main square was located here, where the first Soviet officials, shot by the White Cossacks, as well as defenders of Atyrau (formerly Guryev) who died in battles with rebels, were once buried. Soon, a park emerged around the grave through the efforts of pioneers, and an obelisk was erected at the burial site.
As often happened, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, both the park and the monument were abandoned. In the early 2000s, the city akimat, apparently turning a blind eye to the historical significance of the place, sold the park territory along with the mass grave to a private developer. Today, the park is a vacant lot where a residential complex is planned to be built.
Incidentally, this oldest city park was named after the famous Ukrainian writer Taras Grigoryevich Shevchenko, who once passed through the city under escort on his way to exile in Mangyshlak. Clearly, this place holds special historical, cultural and social significance for Atyrau.
Figuring out the motives of the former city authorities who decided to sell the park is not difficult at all. As they say, anything goes for your money. We decided to look into the complex web of subsequent owners of the historical site where the city park of Atyrau once stood.
For more than twenty years, the territory of the historical park has been passed from hand to hand. The editors of FBRK have managed to find out that almost all companies that previously owned the park territory are, in one way or another, connected to the same individuals.
According to open sources, the first owner of Atyrau's oldest park was Azimut-2002 LLP in December 2002. The founders of this company were once Lidiya Akopyan and Lyubov Sergeyeva. According to data from some media outlets, these charming ladies were involved in forging documents and privatising apartments, arranging housing and resolving credit issues with the aim of embezzling other people's property. Their guilt has now been proven in 47 episodes.
However, according to our data, the land plot was registered in June 2003. Since then, 5 owner companies have changed: Eurasia Park LLP (from June 2003 to October 2005), Atyrau-Services Ltd LLP (from October 2005 to June 2007), Construction Management No. 99 LLP (from June 2007 to August 2012), Caspiy Stroy Extra LLP (from August 2012 to May 2017) and Atyrauinzhstroy-AIS LLP (from December 2020 to the present day).
Construction Management No. 99 LLP and Caspiy Stroy Extra LLP belong to Alexander Zverkhovsky. One of the founders of Atyrauinzhstroy-AIS LLP is Vladimir Pak. At present, no clear connection is apparent between these businessmen. However, we have established that Zverkhovsky and Pak were previously partners, and also used to own Eurasia Park LLP and Atyrau-Services Ltd LLP.
Construction Management No. 99 LLP has a debt under enforcement proceedings amounting to 2.2 million tenge owed to Akpan LLP and a tax debt of 22.2 million tenge. Caspiy Stroy Extra LLP, once a subsidiary of Construction Management No. 99 LLP, has a tax debt of 51.9 million tenge and a restriction on issuing electronic invoices (EIV) dated August 16, 2023. Mr. Zverkhovsky himself has a tax debt of 29 thousand tenge.
Vladimir Pak was previously a deputy of the Atyrau Regional Maslikhat and Chairman of the Atyrau branch of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken". He also held the position of Chairman of the regional Korean cultural centre "Thonyil-Atyrau".
Incidentally, besides Mr. Pak, another founder of the current owner of the plot - Atyrauinzhstroy-AIS LLP - is Almatyinshstroy JSC, where Mr. Pak sits on the board of directors.
Other heads of "Atyrauinzhstroy" are also connected with state structures. The President of the company, Konstantin Shin, was a deputy of the regional maslikhat. The General Director, Adilbek Nurluguzhiyev, is known to residents of Atyrau as the First Deputy Akim of the city, who oversaw the housing and communal services sector.
Today, the struggle for the former Shevchenko Park is unfolding between the city authorities and Atyrauinzhstroy-AIS LLP. And, judging by everything, "Atyrauinzhstroy" does not intend to give up easily. After all, this territory is renowned not only for its historical heritage but also for its price. Of course, numerous questions arise regarding the akim's office, which initially allowed the sale of the valuable plot.
As we previously noted, the land plot was officially registered in June 2003. The period when the land transferred from state ownership to private hands coincided with the time when the Akim of Atyrau was Manas Tassybaev, and the Akim of the region was Aslan Musin.
However, according to our data, all purchase and sale transactions for the plot were carried out under the control of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and it was only in 2007 that the akimat became involved. In 2017, the park territory was returned to state ownership, but in 2020 the plot was once again transferred into private hands.
The last owner of the land plot, Atyrauinzhstroy-AIS LLP, acquired the territory during the period when the regional akim was Makhambet Dosmukhambetov, and the akim of Atyrau was Kairat Urazbayev, who is currently under investigation on suspicion of fraudulent actions in the allocation of land plots.
One can only hope for the effectiveness of the investigation, so that the territory of the former park can be returned to the city.