June 27 at the press conference in the Government’s press center, Deputy Prime Minister Gulshara Abdykalikova spoke about the implementation of the Decree of the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on measures to reduce the debt burden of citizens.

Abdykalikova stressed that the work on reducing the debt burden of citizens will be carried out in accordance with the specific criteria outlined in the Decree.

Not everyone who has unsecured consumer loans, namely those people who are in dire need of government assistance, will fall under these measures.

Categories of people who will be assisted:

1) large families;

2) families receiving benefits for the loss of a breadwinner;

3) families with children with disabilities;

4) families which had a disabled child from an early age, now 18 years of age or older;

5) recipients of targeted social assistance;

6) orphans;

7) children left without parental care, under the age of 29, who lost their parents until the adult age.

“Large families are considered families where there are 4 or more children under 18 years old. Whether there are loans from such families, it will be considered on databases. The second is families receiving survivor’s benefits. Now in our state there are about 600 thousand families who have lost their breadwinner. According to the database, it will be considered how many of these families pay loans, in coordination with the banks,” explained the deputy prime minister.

She also noted that banks will consider the base of recipients of targeted social assistance to determine the availability of loans from such families. About 240 families now receive the assistance.

“All their data is registered with us. Therefore, on this issue we are scheduled to meet with second-tier banks. Of course, not all of them took loans. Only those who pay the loans will be known to us; checks will still be conducted. According to preliminary data, there are 443 thousand citizens who are especially in dire need of government assistance and who have loans,” the deputy prime minister informed.

She also stressed that the provision of this financial assistance will not investigate the purpose for which the loan was acquired.

“What did they took a loan for, how did they spent the money — these questions will not be studied in depth. Since these are low-income citizens who need social support. In the last 2-3 months we actively met with the population in the regions and in the capital. There were many receptions of citizens. When we studied this question, we saw that these categories do not acquire any expensive things, say, iPhones, super TVs, new equipment. Basically, they do not have enough money for food, medicine, treatment — for the most essential things for life and things,” said Abdykalikova.