Every year, city budgets in Kazakhstan spend tens of millions of tenge on maintaining state symbols. The exact amounts, technical details, and reasons for the costs emerged from a journalistic investigation by Orda.kz, reports infohub.kz.
The highest spending is in Astana. The administration of the Nura district said that in 2024, 23.9 million tenge was spent on servicing the main state flag and purchasing new banners, and in 2025, 20.8 million tenge. For 2026, 24.9 million tenge has been allocated.
The capital's flag is the largest in the country. The 111-meter flagpole holds a 30-by-15-meter banner. Its area is 450 square meters and it weighs about 100 kilograms. One such banner costs 2.12 million tenge. In 2026, the facility is maintained by KomJolStroy LLP.
In Shymkent, the amounts are smaller, but flags are replaced often because the fabric wears out quickly due to wind and weather. The city's Internal Policy Department reported: in 2024, 8 million tenge was spent on maintaining the flagpole on Independence Square, and in 2025, 11 million tenge. For 2026, after a tender, 8.5 million tenge was allocated. Over the past two years, the flag was replaced 20 times, and nine more replacements are planned this year. The Shymkent flag measures 16 by 8 meters. It is made from a special outdoor mesh fabric called polytex. One banner costs about 900,000 tenge. The remaining funds go to high-altitude work, electric motor repairs, and cable lubrication. In 2026, the facility is maintained by Karagandy Korkem LLP.
In Almaty, the main flag flies in the mountains at the Medeu high-altitude complex. The city administration allocated 9 million tenge for its maintenance in 2024, 14 million tenge in 2025, and 12 million tenge for 2026. The banner measures 7 by 14 meters. This year, production, installation, and maintenance are handled by Almatygoroformlenie LLP.
In Pavlodar, the situation at the State Symbols Square is completely different. The administration responded that all work on flagpole maintenance, technical servicing, and purchasing new banners is fully covered by sponsors. The city budget does not allocate money for this. The banner here is also 7 by 14 meters. The facility has no special security, and no additional budget funds are spent on protection.
Security around the flags varies. In Astana, authorized services handle it; in Shymkent, the square is under round-the-clock surveillance with cameras linked to the police department. At Medeu, video surveillance is also in place, although minor damage near the flagpole sometimes occurs from careless parking or snow removal equipment.