Russia's Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper changes its correspondents in Kazakhstan
Unexpected decision

Correspondents of RFE/RL report that leadership of Russia's Komsomol'skaya Pravda newspaper unexpectedly decided to stop contract signed with a group of Kazakhstani journalists. The group of Kazakhstani journalists led by Alexander Kraisner were told by Komsomol'skaya Pravda's editorial board that starting December 27, the contract signed between Mr. Kraisner's group and Komsomol'skaya Pravda would be stopped. Alexander Kraisner is going to sue Komsomol'skaya Pravda in Moscow's Arbitrary Court. Chief Editor of Oppositional SolDat newspaper Ermurat Bapi told correspondents of RFE/RL that he was sure about political motives lying under Komsomol'skaya Pravda's decision. According to Mr. Bapi, some political groups close to President Nazarbayev and his son-in-law Timur Kulibayev are behind the whole story. He also said that the event might be defined as continuation of Nazarbayev clan's attempts to take all the mass media in the country under control.