AKIPRESS.COM – A foreign worker, who provoked a conflict between foreign and local workers at the Tengiz field, was fired. The company management will investigate the incident, Zakon.kz reports citing First Vice Energy Minister of Kazakhstan Mahambet Dosmuhambetov.

“I met a CCEP CEO yesterday, we discussed the situation. He confirmed the person who posted a photo was fired immediately. Then he told me they will carry out investigation,” the Vice Minister said.

“We have also talked to the TengizChevrOil, CCEP management. There is unfair difference in salaries, we will address this discrepancy,” Dosmuhambetov stated.

The Vice Minister added various projects are run at the Tengiz and Karachaganak fields, foreign workers are hired over shortage of qualified personnel in Kazakhstan.

The conflict between local and foreign workers at the Tengiz field on June 29 over a photo posted by a foreign worker featuring a local young woman overgrew into a brawl. The local workers found a photo incident and insulting. Near 45 people sought medical assistance in the result.

First Vice Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Mahambet Dosmuhambetov said conditions for work should be provided at the Tengiz field following the incident.

“Deportation of foreign workers is out of question. The task is to normalize the situation, to create normal conditions for work at the field. At the same time, causes of the incident should be investigated. There is difference in salaries of local and foreign workers, these discrepancies should be addressed,” the Vice Minister said.

He added foreign workers come to Kazakhstan over lack of qualified personnel in the country. Tengiz is a complex project, its realization requires thousands of qualified workers Kazakhstan does not have, Dosmuhambetov explained.

“Around 40,000 people work there. There is difference in pay and we should admit it,” Mahambet Dosmuhambetov stated.

45 people sought medical assistance after the incident. 22 needed medical assistance at hospital, they were evacuated to Atyrau, the Vice Minister said.

“Work on one of the blocks of the factory was not resumed so far. It should be relaunched, but this is anything but simple. But this does not mean the work stopped entirely,” the Vice Minister added.

TengizChevrOil denied a report earlier that a contract was terminated with CCEP. The work on expansion of Tengiz field production capacity is ongoing, the company said.

The conflict between local and foreign workers at the Tengiz field on June 29 over a photo posted by a foreign worker featuring a local young woman overgrew into a brawl. The local workers found a photo incident and insulting.