Recent events surrounding the Kazakh language, financial expenditures on Tokayev's referendums, the scandal involving the dismissal of Russians at Burger King Kazakhstan, and the exit of the Unified National Pension Fund (ENPF) from the list of shareholders of Air Astana, as well as the court's decision regarding the Karachaganak case, have become hot topics in the press. Details in the new review of Kazakh-language media by Nazira Darimbet.
Deputy: Kazakh is the language of the poor!
The prosecutor's office has begun an investigation into Majilis deputy Samat Nurtaza due to his offensive statement about the Kazakh language on Facebook, reports Democrat.kz.
In his post made five years ago, Nurtaza not only belittled the Kazakh language but also added: "The Kazakh language is the language of the poor, it is the language of those who push carts and waiters! Well, poor people, be indignant!".
Screenshots of this post have resurfaced on social media, causing widespread outrage and criticism directed at the deputy. In response to the public outcry, Nurtaza publicly apologized, stating that he wanted to draw attention to the language issue.
However, public anger did not subside, and active discussions began on social media. Some users stated that they had already filed complaints with the General Prosecutor's Office of Kazakhstan.
“Strict measures should be applied to a person who insults his own language, traditions, and honor,” “I have submitted a statement to the prosecutor's office in Astana,” “What can we expect from a deputy who writes like this?” “A person who does not respect their native language should not hold the position of a deputy” — such comments appeared in response to his post.
Interestingly, the outrage coincided with discussions about the new draft Constitution and questions regarding the state language.
By the way, in another post made five years ago, Nurtaza also commented on a Kazakh woman from Atyrau who married an African man, claiming that “no Kazakh would marry such a fat woman.” Nurtaza also studied in the UK, having once been a blogger.
Tokayev's referendum expenses
Significant expenses are associated with the upcoming referendum on the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The publication Stan.kz calculated how much money has been spent on referendums during the presidency of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
On June 5, 2022, a referendum on constitutional amendments was held, for which 16.5 billion tenge was allocated, of which 1.6 billion was returned to the budget.
On October 6, 2024, a referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant was held, costing 15.5 billion tenge.
For the upcoming referendum on March 15 of this year, 20.8 billion tenge has been allocated.
Thus, the total expenses for all referendums will amount to 52 billion tenge, as indicated in the publication.
It is worth noting that during nearly thirty years of Nazarbayev's rule, only two referendums were held, both in 1995, without information on the costs incurred.
The Burger King scandal
A scandal erupted around the fast-food chain Burger King Kazakhstan following the dismissal of an employee with autism, reports Adyrna.kz.
A campaign against the brand began on social media after the mother of the dismissed chef Alibek Karatay, Zhanat Karatay, reported his dismissal under pressure from the new management from Russia.
According to her, Alibek had worked at the company for about four years, but after the management change, his working conditions deteriorated.
“He was always part of the team, worked with enthusiasm, but after the arrival of the new regional manager, the situation changed drastically,” she said.
Zhanat also noted that other employees began to approach her with stories about violations of labor rights.
Screenshots of correspondence with one of the former employees confirm the deterioration of the atmosphere in the team after the new management took over.
The management of Burger King denied the information about Alibek's dismissal, stating that he himself submitted a request to go on vacation, and his mother submitted the resignation letter later.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan has begun an investigation into the incident, but Kazakhs have already called for a boycott of the chain.
“A complete boycott of Burger King for humiliating the Kazakh people and dismissing our compatriot,” “Why should some unknown Sergey from who knows where set his rules in Kazakhstan?” — users write.
This is not the first case where Kazakhs express protest against well-known brands due to national or language issues.
ENPF exits the Air Astana shareholder registry
According to the updated shareholder registry of JSC "Air Astana" as of January 1, 2026, the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund (ENPF) is no longer listed, reports Nege.kz.
In the previous registry dated December 18, 2025, the ENPF was the fourth largest shareholder with a 6.54% stake.
It is unknown whether information about the sale of the fund's shares was officially published. Only a minor 0.55% of shares sold to minority shareholders is known.
The latest registry indicates that 41.18% of Air Astana's shares belong to the state through the Sovereign Wealth Fund "Samruk-Kazyna," while 37.69% is nominally held by Citibank.
At a recent shareholders' meeting, it was decided to extend the powers of CEO Peter Foster until the end of the first quarter of 2026, after which he will hand over his powers to Ibrahim Janlyel.
Shareholders also approved a deal to acquire 25 aircraft from Airbus S.A.S., the amount of which exceeds half of the company's balance sheet value, requiring shareholder approval.
However, the financial condition of Air Astana raises doubts. The company's net profit for the first nine months of 2025 amounted to 16.4 billion tenge, significantly lower than in the same period of 2024.
There are doubts about whether Air Astana will be able to make direct aircraft purchases without leasing by 2031, raising questions about the company's financial capabilities.
Kazakhstan received approval for 3 billion
According to information obtained during negotiations between Karachaganak Petroleum Operating and Kazakhstan, the parties agreed on an amount of about 3 billion dollars, reports the DALA INSIDE channel.
Kazakhstan won the case in international arbitration regarding the Karachaganak project, where the main dispute was the investor's inflated expenses, which reduced the state's share.
As a result of an independent audit, facts confirming manipulations by investors were revealed. Kazakhstan achieved victory in a closed court process that lasted two years.
According to the court's decision, Kazakhstan is to receive an amount ranging from 2 to 4 billion dollars, which is approximately 1.5 trillion tenge. This money could help cover a significant part of the republican budget deficit.
Currently, discussions are underway regarding how these compensations will be paid. It is possible that the funds will be transferred directly to the National Fund, which would be preferable for Kazakhstan.
