Against the backdrop of major exposés in the US, where the White House administration publicly accused organisations promoting democratic values of ineffective use and waste of budget funds, there is a natural interest in similar schemes in Kazakhstan. The country is home to many independent organisations and civic activists who work sincerely for the development of society, but there are also those whose activities raise legitimate doubts.
Here, for example, one can highlight the author of the YouTube channel Jurttyn Balasy - Daniyar Murat, who regularly appears in the recommendation algorithms of social platforms. Recently, the blogger presented a critical analysis of the film "Kaitalanbasyn", which covers the tragic events of January 2022. The negative assessment of this work is at least perplexing, given the importance of such works for preserving historical memory and understanding the national tragedy.
Examining the content of Daniyar Murat reveals a characteristic feature: his narrative is almost entirely built on negative assessments. Almost every video contains accusations, expressions of dissatisfaction, and critical judgments. Notably, even the blogger's audience in the comments points out the lack of a balanced approach and objective analysis of the issues under consideration. The answer to the question about the reasons for such a one-sided information strategy may lie in the blogger's financial sources.
Since the beginning of 2024, Daniyar Murat has headed the public foundation Transparency International Kazakhstan in the role of executive director. For a long time, the organisation operated on international grants, including funding from USAID (United States Agency for International Development), provided through the international non-profit organisation Internews, and the Soros Foundation-Kazakhstan.
Today, Transparency International Kazakhstan is experiencing financial difficulties after the cessation of funding from USAID. According to the official version, this is due to a review of strategic priorities, however there is an opinion about possible suspicions of misappropriation of the funds received. Unofficial sources indicate that the foundation has been temporarily excluded from cooperation with the head office due to alleged financial violations.
Additional questions are raised by the foundation's conduct of training events for large national companies, such as "Samruk-Kazyna Invest" and "Kazakhstan Temir Zholy". This creates a potential conflict of interest, as the organisation receives funding from structures which could theoretically become objects of its criticism.
Also noteworthy is the participation of Daniyar Murat in February 2024 in a USAID educational initiative, organised for Kazakhstani bloggers in Albania. In 2019, USAID allocated $18 million to the "Eurasia Foundation" for a training programme for protest-minded youth in Central Asia. This year, selected participants underwent training in Tirana, where anti-government demonstrations were simultaneously taking place.
The presented facts give rise to legitimate questions about the real motives of the blogger. Is his critical stance the result of a genuine desire for objectivity, or are there other interests behind it? In the context of the growing need for transparency in public activity, it is critically important to understand which forces and resources are shaping the information agenda in the country.
Recall that in March 2025, the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance published a new register of persons and companies that received foreign funding in the second half of 2024. Note that from 2023 to 2024, information on receipts from abroad was provided by 295 organisations and individuals. Of this number, 118 entities report regularly, 96 do so periodically, and 81 submitted reports only once.