AKIPRESS.COM - Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev fired Deputy Minister of Energy Aset Magauov and Deputy Chairman of the KazMunayGaz national company Daniyar Berlibyaev over a fuel crisis that has plummeted Kazakhstan lately.

During the government meeting, the PM requested the Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev to explain the circumstances surrounding the most demanded RON 92 fuel deficit that present in Kazakhstani gas stations since September.

Bozumbayev and Chairman of the KazMunayGaz JSC Sauat Mynbayev cited suspension of two refineries of Kazakhstan in the fall for repairs and fuel price hikes in Russia as the reasons for fuel shortage in Kazakhstan. However, PM Sagintayev said it is only excuses and said the arguments of the Energy Ministry are unacceptable.

"You were warned in May that the Pavlodar refinery repair is postponed from spring to fall, everyone knew everything very well that the refineries will suspend one after another for repairs. And you could clear things out and calculate the volumes and regions that will receive fuel in advance , not in September. Tensions appeared from nowhere," PM Sagintayev said.

The Kazakh Prime Minister said the actions of the Energy Ministry employees are regarded as "evasion from their direct official duties," and said will recommend the President to reprimand Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, and fired Deputy Energy Minister Aset Magauov.

Then the PM reminded that he is the Chairman of the Board of Samruk-Kazyna NC, which includes KazMunayGaz too. He then ordered Samruk Kazyna chief Umirzak Shukeyev to reprimand KMG chief Sauat Mynbayev and fire Deputy Chairman of the KMG Daniyar Berlibayev.