In the most recent counple of weeks the Kazakhstani blogosphere – usually heavily politicized – was focused more on the developments in telecoms sector and Internet-related novelties in Kazakhstan. The country’s authorities are still aiming to enter top 50 of the most competitive countries, although the Economist’s index of “e-readiness” still puts Kazakhstan on 64th place among 69 countries between Pakistan and Vietnam. World Economic Forum ranked Kazakhstan 73rd among 122 countries in 2007 – 13 lines lower than in the previous year.

Nevertheless, enthusiasts don’t lose hope and try to come up with new projects, while the officials try to get use of them for promotion of Kazakhstan’s international image. Thus, for example, neweurasia’s Lena B-va reports that an ambitious project – Second Astana – can be a step towards promotion of the brand called “Republic of Kazakhstan” in the world:

Social service Second Astana is something more than Google Maps (city hall of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan is already finishing creation of the city’s 3D map). The first spots of the Kazakh land in popular virtual world of Second Life. Developers say it was their own project – not the official one – and plan to expand the SL area to Almaty, Turkestan and Borovoe – the major tourist destinations in Kazakhstan.

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The summer heat is by no means an obstacle for those bloggers who keep on discussing major social and political developments, among which there have been both inspiring and depressive news.

TRIALS
Notably, neweurasia was almost the only weblog to report on two trials in Kazakhstan that had caused serious resonance in the society, but got little coverage in the blogosphere. Arthur told about the “Shymkent Contamination Case”, in which several doctors and administrators were accused of infection of more than 100 children with HIV.

“The gist is that doctors, nurses, and administrators engaged in a pattern of corruption and negligence which lead to a huge number of children being infected. However, only the doctors and nurses are going to jail; the politically-connected administrators (one of them is the sister of the mayor of Almaty), got off with three-year suspended sentences”.

Another trial has also ended up with a verdict considered unfair by many. Elena of neweurasia reports that a judge in Shakhtinsk (Central Kazakhstan) found eight mine workers guilty of a tragic blast that killed 42 miners last September. Once again, not a single one manager of the company, which is a part of Mittal Steel, was prosecuted, while the charged workers had to face multiple irregularities during the investigation. Earlier, the London’s Sunday Times reported on the case. Read the full story »