Kyrgyzstan's acting President Sadyr Japarov has announced an "economic amnesty" for former officials who illegally enriched themselves through corruption.
Kyrgyzstan's Acting President Sadyr Japarov announced on Wednesday a 30-day "economic amnesty" for former officials in various sectors who have illegally gained wealth through corruption, according to the country's news agency Kabar.
If those officials voluntarily declare their property and pay the taxes, they will not be punished.
The statement was made just a day after the former deputy chief of the Customs Service, Raimbek Matraimov, was detained and placed under house arrest on suspicion of graft.
The move aims to "replenish the state budget and create equal conditions for all business entities," the statement said.
This will apply to officials who have illegally taken shares of large enterprises or who are accomplice in these illegal acts, entrepreneurs who evaded taxes and such, according to the statement.
As long as the above-mentioned personnel voluntarily declare their property and make up the tax payment, Japarov said in the statement, the government will deem their property as legal and exempt any punishment for them. Meanwhile, the declaration content will also be confidential.
“In a short time, a legal framework will be prepared for economic amnesty and legalization of funds, movable and immovable property. If you do not take this opportunity and ignore the economic amnesty, the most stringent measures will be taken in accordance with the law," the acting president said.
The acting president said in the statement that in the past 30 years, officials in sectors including "energy sector, customs, taxation, pharmaceuticals, licensing, mining…” have formed a network of corruption..
