BISHKEK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th March, 2021) Kyrgyz Prime Minister Ulukbek Maripov has signed a decree to abolish the State Service for Combating Economic Crimes � also known as financial police � over the body's inefficiency, the press service of the Kyrgyz cabinet told Sputnik on Friday.
"The decision was made to abolish the State Service for Combating Economic Crimes under the Kyrgyz Republic government (financial police). The relevant decree was signed by Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Ulukbek Maripov," the press service said.
The latest official data indicates that Kyrgyzstan's shadow economy exceeded $1.5 billion, or 23.6 percent of GDP, while independent experts say it might range from 24 percent to 43 percent of GDP, according to the cabinet spokesperson.
Additionally, the spokesperson said that business representatives and independent experts have accused the financial police of corruption and illegal meddling.
"[This] indicates the improper performance of its functions by the State Service for Combating Economic Crimes," the spokesperson said.
While the official duties of the Kyrgyz financial police were to predict, prevent and fight economic and corruption crimes, as well as ensure the rights and interests of business entities, in practice, they degraded to mere punitive functions, according to the cabinet.
