Nazarbayev bans officials from traveling in Mercedes cars
ASTANA. July 3 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has banned officials and chief executives of national companies from buying foreign-brand cars.
"We make our own cars, and they want Mercedes! They should pay from their own pocket then! Ban immediately. What a waste of public money!" Nazarbayev said in Astana on Tuesday.
Not long ago I instructed the government to make sure government agencies and national companies buy cars by the domestic manufacturer, the president recalled. "Aside from the National Security Committee, the Defense Ministry and the Emergencies Ministry, no one signed contracts, they continue buying vehicles abroad. When will this disgrace be over, [Prime Minister] Karim Kazhimkanovich [Masimov]? How long can we talk about it?" the president said.
"In the West, they buy fuel efficient cars. (. . .) As for our people, the newly-enriched former paupers, if tanks sold just as light cars do, they would be travelling in tanks! It is prestigious, you see, he is sitting on top of a tank, everyone is looking at him. These people are completely ignorant, uneducated and low-grade!" the president said.
The president's speech was met with loud applause from officials who attended the event.