Previous Kazakh Government: “we wished our best, you know the rest”
Ongoing revolution/coup attempt/terrorist attack in Kazakhstan, you name it, was triggered by cancelation of state subsidies on liquefied-petroleum gas and, thereby, was considered by ordinary Kazakhs as a breach by the Kazakh government of the long-standing social contract between population and government. Another words, cheap/cross-subsidized energy/petrol/utilities nowadays is used by governments of many energy exporting countries as “bread and circuses” in the ancient Rome: ?a palliative offered especially to avert potential discontent.
Still status quo in the energy sector, and gas sector in particular, of Kazakhstan is not possible for a long time, so sooner or later energy prices will rise and no government in the world can prevent this, so the question is how to do it smart way this time.
Below is my recent presentation in English and article in Russian on the problem of gas market reform in Kazakhstan, that emerged full-blown lately.