The proverb “The more time, the more work” does not suite well for some officials at the most important and responsible government institution – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It seems that they are guided by a different principle: when you work less, work also becomes lesser.

It was proved after representatives of the international organization “Reporters without Borders”, concerned about the situation with freedom of speech in Kazakhstan and given permission to visit the country, sent a written request to Kazakhstan asking to meet with authorities and representatives of the government. The letter was sent from Paris via internet to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A week later they found out that the office of Foreign Affairs does not accept e-mails – documents in this institution are received only via fax, old-fashioned way of communication. However, the faxed letter was went missing for a week.

The reasons were interestingly strange: one officer was busy at the funeral of his mother-in-law, others forgot the incoming number or did not know who was authorized to execute the document. Finally, the authorized officer was found – it was the “clerk” Anuar Mirzatillaev, who immediately told the French that “he owed nothing to anyone.”

In fact, according to our accepted diplomatic protocol, all foreign delegations are required to apply to the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the organization of meetings with representatives of the government or deputies, since letters of foreign delegations without visa of the Foreign Ministry are accepted neither in the parliament, nor in the ministries or the Supreme Court.

But lazy “clerk” did not send the letter to the right departments. Moreover, he made a decision for the decision makers of the state, declaring restlessly to French reporters that “the officials do not have time to meet with them.” The subsequent investigation showed that the request of the “Reporters without Borders” stayed in the office the Foreign Ministry, and was not sent to requested departments.

Usen Suleiman, Ambassador-at-Large, decided to correct the situation and answer the questions of “Reporters without Borders” inviting a representative of the Prosecutor General to the meeting. Dialogue could be argumentative and convincing, but the Ambassador himself intentionally spoiled all the positive impression of the meeting. First, he decided to show off his awareness by citing an opinion of a Western journalist.

Then he made a dizzying conclusion that “Reporters without Borders” were spies of the CIA! And then the Ambassador-at-Large made completely controversial statement – disavowing the policies of his department and the state, he told the French that only obedient journalists, whose behavior is strictly controlled, are allowed to participate in a discussion of a working group on the human dimension with the officials of the country. The delegation has mixed impressions from the meeting.

Well, we, realizing that there is a strong deficit in a labor market of professionals, can only complain that the image of our country is in the hands of officials, who, apparently, constantly speak whatever that comes to their wit. A woe, as it was once said, is from wit. From a very low wit…

Rozlana TAUKINA