Kosovars in Kazakhstan return to work, what's going on with the riots?

The Central Asian state is facing its worst protests in 30 years of independence.

Protests have started on 2 January due to the rising gas price and have expanded in discontent with the government and former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has led Kazakhstan for three decades and is believed to still have influence.

In recent years, many Kosovars have managed to provide jobs in Kazakhstan, mainly through the construction company Mabetex Group, owned by Behgjet Pacolli, former president of Kosovo.

Radio Free Europe has spoken to Kastriot whose true identity is known for REL's editing state of immediate security there.

On January 6th, he said the Mabetex Group company has warned him and his colleagues that they will be on leave for an indefinite term.

Kastriot works in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur Sultan.

On Monday, January 10th, he told REL that he has returned to work, but at a shorter time than usual.

Although the location he is standing in is calmer than some other cities in Kazakhstan, he says he fears security.

I guess 20 or 30 people [from those I know] want to leave here”, Kastriot says.

Company: We have no demand for return from workers

The Mabetex Group company denies that its workers have sought to flee Kazakhstan.

Mabetex Group has announced that it employs about 1,900 Albanian workers from Kosovo, Albania and Northern Macedonia.

These workers, according to the company, operate in the cities: Us Kamenogorsk, Almati and Nur Sultan.

Through a media communique on January 10th, the company has confirmed that its workers have returned to work, are secure, and that life develops normally.

According to the Mabetex Group, “has had no request from workers to return to their homeland”.

In two days, before January 6th, the internet and phone waves were shut down across Kazakhstan. Such services have later been partially restored.

Kastriot says that he and his colleagues, after a few days of unrest, have managed to contact their families.

The families now, after we called them, have calmed down... At first [when there was no Internet] it was more difficult”, he says.

MPJ silences Kosovars in Kazakhstan

As protests and riots on the streets of Kazakhstan continue for eight days, Kosovo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet spoken about the security issue of Kosovo citizens there.

The MPJ, since January 6th, has not answered even Radio Europe's free questions about the number of Kosovars in Kazakhstan and their security.

Authorities in Kazakhstan have already set up police hours, preventing citizens from moving between 11:00 and seven o'clock.

A more active concern of the Government of Kosovo for these citizens is very necessary, according to Kosovo security science professor Avni Islami.

Our “State, since there are no embassys, the representative in that country, would have to be through third embassies to care, identify all workers and try to make sure that they are either located in safe places, or their withdrawal”, Islam says.

What's going on in Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan is experiencing the worst street protests since it declared independence three decades ago.

Stability is causing concern in Kazakhstan's two powerful neighbours: Russia and China.

Kazakhstan sells most oil exports to China and is Moscow's top strategic ally.

Kazakhstan's president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has described last week's deadly violence as an attempt at the pimp.

According to recent figures, over 160 people have been killed in riots, while nearly 8,000 have been arrested.

Tokyev has told leaders of the military alliance of former Soviet countries Monday that the action has been co-ordinated by a single “centre”, but has not cited concrete responsibility.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Kazakhstan is targeted by individual terrorism, adding that Russia will never allow revolutions in the region.

Kazakh authorities have said the situation has stabilised.