The Supreme Audit Chamber (SAC) of Kazakhstan has begun a state audit of the country's Ministry of Defense. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Scope and purpose of the audit
According to the SAC, specialists will assess how effectively the ministry uses budget funds. The chamber announced this on its Telegram channel.
The inspection will also cover the material and technical supply of military units. No results have been reported yet.
Presidential commission and personnel changes
Earlier, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev created a commission for a comprehensive inspection of the Defense Ministry, headed by Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Aida Balayeva.
Previously, the head of state dismissed Defense Minister Dauran Kossanov, and Aidos Myrzakhmetov took over the ministry.
The Mangystau tragedy and investigation
Personnel reshuffles and mass inspections at the Defense Ministry began after the tragedy in the Mangystau region, where during exercises 17 servicemen were swept into the Caspian Sea and 14 of them died. The circumstances of the tragedy are being investigated by a separate government commission led by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that five officers of Kazakhstan's Defense Ministry were detained in the case of the sailors' deaths. The criminal case, opened under articles on negligence and violation of navigation rules, is under special control of the Prosecutor General's Office.
National mourning and awards
September 25 was declared a day of national mourning.
The day before, the families of the deceased were given telegrams of condolences from the president. On September 27, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev posthumously awarded the deceased sailors the Orders of "Aibyn" II degree named after Bauyrzhan Momyshuly and "Aibyn" III degree named after Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev. The president also honored three surviving servicemen with the "Yerligi Ushin" medal.