Dana Tubekova

The Listening State concept adopted in Kazakhstan aims to increase public trust in government institutions by incorporating citizen input into the policymaking process. However, empirical evidence suggests a substantial gap between declared principles and practical implementation. This study aims to examine the institutional factors that hinder the effective implementation of the Listening State concept within the framework of public administration based on an analysis of local-level public opinion. In 2024, a sociological survey involving 550 voluntary participants was conducted in the city of Turkestan, Kazakhstan, using a questionnaire based on the key principles of the concept. Analysis revealed that 73% of respondents are interested in political matters, but only 45% actively participate in decision-making due to limited awareness of governmental activities. Significant correlations emerged between consensus orientation and accountability (r = 0.65, p < 0.05) and also between rule of law and transparency (r = 0.66, p < 0.05). However, an insignificant link was found between participation in decision-making and political events (r = 0.02, p > 0.05). Linear regression showed that demographic variables have limited influence on principles. Salary impacts consensus orientation (0.18), gender affects accountability (0.20) and transparency (0.22), occupation influences the rule of law (0.16), while gender and education only slightly influence familiarity with civil society (0.10). The study highlights the need for targeted awareness-raising, simplification of civic engagement, and improvement of institutional accountability and transparency to bridge the implementation gap. The evidence recommends a targeted approach to strengthen the Listening State concept through coordinated efforts by responsible institutions.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
This paper aims to quantitatively assess the functional capacity of local self-government (LSG) budgets to implement green economy strategies. This study uses longitudinal budget data from Turkestan, an administrative region of Kazakhstan (2019–2024), applying correlation and regression modeling. Four econometric models were constructed to define the dependencies between total revenues, transfers, tax yields, and expenditures of rural administrations.
The empirical analysis identifies a critical level of vertical fiscal imbalance: the correlation between aggregate revenue (D01) and external transfers (TR-P) reached r = 0.991 (p < 0.01). Regression diagnostics confirm that 98.1% of revenue variance and 98.4% of expenditure variance are dictated by centralized subventions. The study uncovers a state of “budgetary mirroring” (a coefficient of 0.9938 in the expenditure-to-revenue model), in which approximately 99.4% of every tenge received is immediately absorbed by operational costs, effectively neutralizing long-term investment in ecotourism infrastructure. Conversely, an endogenous growth lever was detected: a strong correlation (r = 0.898) between tax yields and the sale of fixed assets. A second-order polynomial model (R² = 0.933) reveals a compounding acceleration in local tax generation, suggesting that the region has reached a fiscal inflection point with the potential to transition toward a self-sustaining development model.
To transform ecotourism into a sustainable economic driver, rural governance must shift from a “survivalist” management model to one of active asset stewardship. We recommend reforming transfer architectures to include performance-based grants specifically earmarked for green infrastructure and the commercialization of municipal property.