(18 February 2026 | Source: 'Open Legal Acts' portal)
Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan has initiated a discussion on amendments to the order introducing a differentiated approach to paying tolls on paid sections of national highways.
In the 'Public and Expert Councils' section on the portal, a comment has been published on behalf of the Eurasian Industrial Association (EIA). It notes the impossibility of a full assessment of the project due to the absence of the document text, a comparative table, and financial calculations.
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT'S ARGUMENT
According to the project card, the initiative aims to offset the costs of maintaining and restoring roads that experience increased load from transit traffic. Additional revenue is planned to be directed towards developing road infrastructure.
The materials also state that the changes will not apply to residents of the Republic of Kazakhstan, citizens of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries, and states with which agreements on toll-free travel are in place.
The developer notes that the adoption of the project will not entail negative socio-economic consequences.
EIA POSITION
In the published comment, the EIA refers to paragraph 1 of Article 19 of the Law 'On Legal Acts', according to which a notification and a full package of documents, including the text of the draft legal act, an explanatory note, and a comparative table, must be sent to the expert councils.
The Association stated that these materials are missing from the portal and requested that they be sent to prepare an expert opinion within the established timeframe.
In the comments on the project, some users also expressed doubts about the completeness of the posted materials. In particular, it is noted that in the absence of specific rates and calculations, market participants cannot assess the potential impact of the changes on the cost of logistics services and the timeframe for adapting to the new rules.
DEPARTMENT'S POSITION
In response to user comments, representatives of the Ministry of Transport stated that the format for posting materials on the portal had been changed. The department noted that issues related to the functioning of the portal fall under the competence of the Ministry of Justice.
The public discussion of the project will last until 26 February 2026. The project card indicates that the changes are expected to come into force in March 2026.