This information was provided by the former Deputy Minister of Culture
In his story, the author described the events related to the awarding after the completion of the first World Nomad Games in 2014, and commented on how, in his opinion, the distribution of state awards took place.
Maksat Chakyev, who was involved in organizing the event, said that immediately after the successful holding of the Games, he was tasked with compiling a list of civil servants for awarding, as they were key figures in this major project. This list was passed to Sapar Isakov, who at that time headed the foreign policy of the President’s Administration.
Chakyev added that initially he included himself in this list, but Isakov criticized such a decision, suggesting to award ordinary civil servants, not leaders. As a result, Chakyev excluded his name.
According to the author, a month after the Games, awards, including personalized watches from the president, were presented to members of the team of former President Almazbek Atambayev, including Sapar Isakov and his closest associates.
Chakyev also noted that many of the key organizers of the Games faced criminal prosecution. He mentioned entrepreneur Emil Mergenbayev, who took on the construction of the hippodrome when other contractors refused. Mergenbayev completed the project in a short time, but a criminal case against him was initiated immediately after the end of the Games.
In addition, Chakyev told about the fate of Almaz Kasenov, the former head of the Ethnosport Center. Kasenov played an important role in attracting foreign teams, as official invitations were sent out several months before the competitions, and many countries initially refused to participate. Thanks to his personal connections, it was possible to gather 18 teams. After the Games, a criminal case was also initiated against Kasenov.
Chakyev also shared his story, noting that during that period he also faced pressure and persecution.
In conclusion, the author expressed the opinion that the true organizers and performers of the project really deserved state awards, and the described events he characterized as part of the “Atambayev era”.
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