Every day, the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Almaty only within the line of business protection receives on average one and a half appeal. 919 appeals in less than three years of work.

The dynamic grows in terms of the protected rights expressed in monetary values. In 2014 RCE of Almaty saved 613 million tenge for businesses, in a year 3.8 billion tenge, and the first quarter of 2016 - 4.4 billion tenge. Since August 2015 the Almaty Chamber of Entrepreneurs revealed 112 administrative barriers: one on the republican level - 35 and 77 - local. There were prevented financial costs for businesses more than 3.3 billion tenge (for example, cancellation of the tax on extraction of mineral resources), more than 2,000 notifications of tax authorities were withdrawn. Behind every success Chamber of entrepreneurs is passionate staff, whose professionalism enables to resolve situations, requiring legal decision. But there is a body, standing over the Chamber and that is the Regional Council of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Almaty. Today we talk with its chairman Erlan Stambekov.

- Erlan Dauletovich, we want to hold the most simple conversation with you. Maybe we can start with the fact what is the Regionsal Council?

- Well, I support simplicity in all things too. Regional Council is a kind of prototype of an independent board of directors, when people without a salary, not being employees of the Chamber of entrepreneurs, unite in a supervisory body under the Chamber. The frequency of our meetings, as a rule, is once a month. If the situation requires, of course, more. What are we discussing? First of all, the policy and strategy of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Almaty. We determine at its meetings, which is important and a priority for the Chamber and entrepreneurs. We can and have the right to see how and on what the Chamber spends money. We are in every sense representatives of business in the Chamber and possessing these powers, we can put a veto and to demand to revise certain provisions, to raise the issue of the compliance of employees of the Chamber  at the head office of NCE RK "Atameken". We can’t dismiss someone directly, but we can raise this issue at the Regional Council so that the Board considers our offer or claim. This is a technical side, but in practice, I believe that our success is due to high-quality interaction with the management of the Chamber. The first year we groped this type of communication and relationships, now we are beginning to implement them. And in this part we must pay tribute to the outgoing President of the Regional Council Ivan Mikhailovich Kravchenko - a well-known businessman, who at one time was an a state official. His enormous contribution is that he created traditions of the Regional Council and we continue to develop them.

-  You were the first director of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Almaty, when it emerged. In your opinion, for these three years, did the Chamber become a significant structure for the business? What is its role in today's Kazakhstan?

-  The main task of the Chamber of entrepreneurs like a structure - to stand guard over the interests of business. The most acute problems that heads of companies and individual entrepreneurs can’t solve for years are submitted for discussion of the Council for the protection of the rights of entrepreneurs. Since 2014 the Regional Chamber held 20 meetings of the Council, at which were considered 58 appeals, 39 of them were positively resolved. Behind these figures lie the Herculean efforts of the experts of the Chamber. Each individual case - is a tangle of problems with government agencies, which, one way or another, have suspended their activities as entrepreneurs. As an example, I will name the case of SP Tulendieva, which for 15 years can’t get APD (architectural-planning documentation) for the construction of the store on the street Tole bi. Department of Architecture and Urban Planning of Almaty said that the land belonging to the owner is within the so-called "red line". Entrepreneur has proven otherwise in court, however, decision that has entered into force 2 years ago is still ignored by the public agency.

The Chamber has sent relevant letters to the Prosecutor General, the National Bureau of Anti-Corruption and the Ministry of Justice. The question was considered by the Council for the protection of the rights of entrepreneurs. The Commissioner for the Protection of the rights of entrepreneurs Bolat Palymbetov and deputy akim of Almaty Yerlan Aukenov supervised the case. And there are many examples with a positive solution. Moreover, 11 government officials, mainly from the State Revenue Department and Almaty City Department of land relations thanks to the efforts of the Chamber were brought to disciplinary responsibility with three years. This indicates the high status of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs and the Regional Council as the business structure, as well as about our opportunities and prospects.

- What imperfections in your opinion, are in the activities of the Regional Council? Which of them do you intend to resolve in the short term?

-  The first composition of the Regional Council was recruited on the basis of the most respected businessmen at that time, three years ago. I do not put into question the credibility of the business, but today, I think we should seek a vote of confidence in the business community. Let's look at our city. We live in a multisectoral metropolis by the structure of the economy. We have a trade, services, industry, the financial sector, food and drinks. And one of the initiatives that we have expressed is transparent selection of the members of the Regional Council. For various reasons this year the composition of the Council includes 5 people: someone moved to another city, someone changed the direction of its activities. And my proposal was made to select new members through "primaries" procedure from this or that industry. Thus, we had 4 elections. Then I turned to all the members of the Regional Council that we also need to go through the same procedure. The time when the Chamber of entrepreneurs passed its establishment phase has expired when some members of the RC were approved by a directive. Today, in order to gain more confidence in the mandate from the business community, we demonstrate that the Chamber and the RC really represent the interests of business, so we need to get such mandates. For example, there is the Alliance of restaurateurs of Almaty. We appealed to them to choose a clear winner, which would represent the interests of the food industry in the Regional Council of the Chamber. And, having conferred, they elected not their president, but their deputy - Constantine Avershin, who, incidentally, is also the deputy of Maslikhat.

- You have recently also become a deputy of Maslikhat of Almaty. Did these changes somehow impact on your chairmanship in the Regional Council?

- The initiator of my nomination as a Maslikhst Deputy was among other things, the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Almaty, in particular, its director Yuri Tleumuratov. He actively insisted: "Erlan Dauletovich you are the Chairman of the Regional Council and, of course, you must be part of the executive body of the city, in any case, try to take part in the elections, so that it is easier to protect the interests of business". And it happened that this year three of our member of the RC - it's me, Konstantin Avershin and Farida Merhamitkyzy became deputies of Maslikhat. Of course, it enables quick communication, especially with Maslikhat and constructive cooperation with the city authorities. There was yet another opportunity for the realization of the goals and objectives of the Chamber - a body that represents and protects the interests of business.

- And what is business today? Is there a specific portrait of Almaty businessman?

- Almaty entrepreneur - is a person who trusts only his knowledge, his experience, his team. He is not resting on its laurels, because we have no oil, no gas, guaranteeing income. Whenever changes are taking place. Almaty – is a very advanced city, always hungry for new technologies, new projects, new solutions in various spheres. Look at the some of the shops or restaurants, how often they change their format, their name. This suggests that the public in Almaty itself is very demanding, exacting and sophisticated, who always want something new. In this respect, it has developed its own microcosm, its own subculture. Moreover, Almaty entrepreneurs often are explorers, pioneers, who set the trend, which then picks up the business in the rest of the country.

- Speaking of the pioneers. It is believed that in such structures – it is difficult to meet young people. How old is the youngest representative of the RS?

Not at all. We adhere to very progressive views. For example, Bakhytbek Katen, he is 27 years old, an experienced manager and an entrepreneur. In general, youth entrepreneurship - is one of those areas that are the priorities of the Chamber. We want young people to be among us, our task – is to engage young people, to convert them in business. So that they become not state employees, for example, but engage in business and build their business. We have a lot to do this, not only within Regional Council. We organized a group in the social networks "Our business" and every Tuesday we hold meetings of our club, where we invite different speakers: well-known entrepreneurs and startups beginners taking their first steps. Sharing experiences, exchanging information. It's part of the great work we are doing to promote entrepreneurship in Almaty.

- And what can you say about gender equality? What is the ratio of men and women in the structure of the Regional Council of Almaty?

- You have caught me! Yes, men prevail. There are only 6 women out of 29 members of the Regional Council. Today, women entrepreneurs are beginning to occupy a strong position in the society. We have a Council of Business Women of NCE RK "Atameken", it includes a lot of business women from Almaty. Of course, we would like to see more women in its ranks, and, most likely, we will take this issue into account.

- Universal advice to young, budding entrepreneurs from Yerlan Stambekov – it is?

- Don’t be afraid. The Kazakhs have a good proverb "Koz korkak, kol Batyr" - "The eyes are afraid, the hands are doing". Do not be afraid and do not pay attention to any authorities. If you need more specific advice, then come to the Chamber of entrepreneurs, come to our centers for servicing entrepreneurs. I do not hesitate to say it that the structure is unprecedented in the entire post-Soviet space, which is not in words, but in fact represents the interests of business and gives free advice to anyone wanting to. You just have to try, go for it!