Administrative barriers of telecommunications
market development in Kazakhstan
On March 12, 2004 the round table “Administrative
Barriers of Telecommunications Market Development in Kazakhstan”
took place in Almaty.
Internews Kazakhstan (GIPI project in Kazakhstan), non-government
organization, supported by Soros Foundation in Kazakhstan were the
organizers of the round table meeting.
GIPI project, “Global Internet Policy Initiative”, is carried out in
the different countries of the world in collaboration with the
international organizations “Center for Democracy and Technology”
and Soros Foundation (OSI) and other donor organizations. In
Kazakhstan the project started in 2001. Nowadays the GIPI project is
being realized in 17 countries of the world and directed on creation
of legislative and political conditions for free Internet
development, and advocacy of interests of participants of Internet
market.
Nowadays the Kazakhstani telecommunication industry undergoes the
stage of reforming directed on creation of the liberal, competitive
and open market, new mechanisms of state regulation are being
formed. At the same time, there are number of problems and barriers
that are interfering development of competition, liberalization
within the industry and transparency of decision-making in the given
sphere.
The purpose of the round table is constructive discussion of
problems and liberalization perspectives of telecommunication
industry, development of effective tools to overcome administrative
barriers of telecommunications market development in Kazakhstan.
In the frameworks of the round table meeting the following questions
concerning perspectives of telecommunication industry development in
Kazakhstani were discussed:
• Prospects and problems of liberalization of the market and
demonopolization of the national operator OJSC "Kazakhtelecom"
• Necessity of creation an independent regulator in the field of
telecommunications
• Necessity of the extended monitoring of state Program realization
for development of telecommunication industry in RK for 2003-2005.
• Necessity of harmonization the national legislation in the field
of public affairs regulation in the telecommunication sphere, and
bringing it in correspondence with the international standards.
• Administrative obstacles of telecommunication industry development
and ways of their elimination.
• Demonopolization of OJSC “Kazakhtelecom” and development of small
and medium enterprises competition in telecommunication industry
services, and also a number of other questions.
Representatives of the Agency on Natural Monopolies Regulation and
Competition Protection have taken part in the work of the round
table, as well as, deputies of Mazhilis of the Parliament,
representatives of Akimat, Small Business Department in Almaty,
business associations, small and medium enterprises, the
international and Kazakhstan non-governmental organizations, mass
media, representatives of the US Embassy and Central Asia Regional
Office of the World Bank.
Should you have any questions please contact Sofiya Issenova,
coordinator of GIPI project, Internews Kazakhstan by phone:
Tel. (3272) 50 14 19, 50 14 21, 50 14 20;
Fax: (3272) 50 89 59.
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