Burabay National Park land plots, Kazakhstan
Protected land of Burabay National Park in Akmola region was transferred into settlements and private hands; the state is now taking it back through a prosecutor's protest and lawsuits, 29 of which had been filed by December 2024. One owner says he invested KZT 400 million, and owners say their plots predate the documents the prosecutor relies on.
Akim of Akmola region, 3 December 2024: “Today, 29 lawsuits concern only those lands” (translated).
Status As of January 2026: 29 lawsuits filed by December 2024 and claims issued to owners in September 2025; no court outcome on record; the Prosecutor General named Burabay among places where land was returned in 2025.
- Landowners and businesses on former park land — Hold plots in Burabay and neighbouring settlements; one entrepreneur says he invested KZT 400 mln and built 24 houses Informburo
- Burabay special economic zone — 370 ha of park land allocated in 2013 Tengrinews
- Landowners facing claims — About 1,800 landowners may be affected (lawyer's estimate); compensation would need “billions of tenge” from the budget Informburo
- Burabay National Park — Land transferred out of the protected area; ecological effect not measured
What happened
In 2013 the Burabay special economic zone was allocated 370 ha of park land, according to deputy Ivan Klimenko; in 2020 Vice-Minister Yerlan Nysanbayev said 260 ha had been developed and 110 ha were to be returned. A decision cancelling a 2012 akimat resolution on the boundaries of Shchuchinsk appeared on the “Open NPA” portal on 3 September 2024.
On 3 December 2024 the akim of Akmola region, Marat Akhmetzhanov, said 29 lawsuits concerned those lands and that the prosecutor's protest had been satisfied; he said owners whose land was granted before the park was created keep ownership and that seizure is possible only by court decision. On 12 September 2025 owners received claims from the regional land department, which seeks cancellation of land transactions over the past 20 years. A lawyer said about 1,800 landowners may be affected and that compensation would need “billions of tenge” from the budget; an entrepreneur said he invested KZT 400 mln and built 24 houses.
Owners say their plots predate the documents the prosecutor relies on, citing allocations of 1997, 2001 and 2006. The prosecutor's office, the land department and the district akimat declined to comment on camera. On 12 January 2026 Prosecutor General Berik Asylov reported on X that 800 thousand ha of land had been returned to state ownership in 2025 across all regions and that KZT 25 bn of environmental damage had been compensated; Burabay was among the places named, with no hectare figure given for it.
- 2013370 ha of park land allocated to the Burabay special economic zone
- 2020Vice-Minister says 260 ha developed and 110 ha to be returned (3 Jun)
- 2024Decision cancelling a 2012 akimat resolution on Shchuchinsk boundaries appears on the Open NPA portal (3 Sep); akim says 29 lawsuits filed (3 Dec)
- 2025Owners receive claims from the regional land department (12 Sep)
- 2026Prosecutor General reports 800 thousand ha returned in 2025, naming Burabay among the places (12 Jan)
What was said
“Today, 29 lawsuits concern only those lands”
“The prosecutor's protest has been satisfied”
“Did they really not see that there was already another landowner, the GNPP?”
“We will go to court”
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
Owners whose land was granted before the park was created keep ownership; seizure only by court decision; the prosecutor's protest has been satisfied.
BES.mediaSeeks cancellation of land transactions over the past 20 years.
InformburoTheir plots predate the documents the prosecutor relies on (allocations of 1997, 2001 and 2006).
InformburoDeclined to comment on camera.
InformburoHow it looked
Shown
- 800 thousand ha of land was reported returned to state ownership in 2025 across all regions, with Burabay named among the places.Prosecutor General Berik Asylov · Kapital.kz
Recorded
- Owners whose land was granted before the park was created keep ownership; seizure is possible only by court decision.
- The regional land department seeks cancellation of land transactions over the past 20 years; a lawyer estimates about 1,800 landowners may be affected.
- National totals for 2025 (all regions), per the Prosecutor General: 800 thousand ha of land returned and KZT 25 bn of environmental damage compensated.
- The prosecutor's office, the land department and the district akimat declined to comment on camera.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- akmola-akimat (3 December 2024): The akim said 29 lawsuits concern those lands, the prosecutor's protest was satisfied, owners whose land was granted before the park was created keep ownership, and seizure is only by court decision. · BES.media
- akmola-prosecutor-office (12 September 2025): Declined to comment on camera. · Informburo
- kazakhstan-prosecutor-generals-office (12 January 2026): Reported 800 thousand ha of land returned to state ownership in 2025 across all regions, naming Burabay among the places. · Kapital.kz
- akmola-land-department (12 September 2025): Declined to comment on camera. · Informburo
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2024Claimant wonProsecutor's protest on Shchuchinsk boundariesAkmola region (decision published on the Open NPA portal) · Administrative · Akmola prosecutor's office → Akimat resolution of 2012 on Shchuchinsk boundaries
A decision cancelling a 2012 akimat resolution on Shchuchinsk boundaries appeared on the Open NPA portal on 3 September 2024; on 3 December 2024 the akim said the prosecutor's protest had been satisfied. BES.media
- 2024–OngoingLawsuits over Burabay National Park landCourts in Akmola region (not named) · Civil · State bodies (regional land department) → Landowners in Burabay and neighbouring settlements
The akim said 29 lawsuits concerned those lands on 3 December 2024. In September 2025 owners received claims from the regional land department seeking cancellation of land transactions over the past 20 years. Informburo
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: No independent ecological evaluation is on record.
Accounts
- Disputed Whether plots transferred out of the park can be taken back
- None on record Prosecutor's office, land department, district akimat: Declined to comment on camera.
Record
- None on record None on record: court outcomes of the 29 lawsuits filed by December 2024.
- None on record None on record: a compensation figure in the akim's statement of 3 December 2024; a lawyer estimates “billions of tenge” from the budget.
- None on record None on record: a hectare figure for Burabay within the 800 thousand ha national total (Prosecutor General, 12 January 2026).
- None on record None on record: measured ecological data on the built-up park land.
Did the harm stop?
None on record.
Who paid?
None on record.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Kok-Zhailau to regain special status (in Russian)Tengrinews · 2020-06-03
- Akmola akim comments on possible land seizure from Burabay residents (in Russian)BES.media · 2024-12-03
- 800,000 ha of oligopoly land returned to the state in 2025 (in Russian)Kapital.kz · 2026-01-12
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- Tengizchevroil sulphur storage claims and emission fines (Kazakhstan) Kazakhstan · 2007–2026
- Prosecutor General's Office of Kazakhstan (Public authority) — here: Reported 2025 land returns, naming Burabay; there: Announced the 2011 payment