More news from Kyrgystan — translated.

The scandal centered on a Russian Jew with American citizenship in Israel is not noticing. But, according to a Knesset, the story involving Italian politicians, mafia, big businessmen of the EU, USA and Russia and Kyrgyzstan, may continue in Israel.

In the last week in Kyrgyzstan, a scandal erupted in the center of which was a number of big businessmen of Jewish descent. The protagonist of this story was born in the USSR and U.S. citizen 33-year-old Yevgeny Gurevich. Authoritative Central Asian Internet resource Ferghana.ru dubbed him “personal financier (president’s) family Bakiyev, contributing to its partners in the project to control the most profitable sectors of the Kyrgyz economy.”

According to Western media, last week the Roman court issued a warrant for the arrest of Hurewicz, which Italian law enforcement authorities are suspected of involvement in criminal groups engaged in fraud and money laundering in the amount of billions of euros. In this case, were issued arrest warrants for 55 more people, including executives of several Italian companies and politicians from the encirclement of President Berlusconi [worth clicking through to this one -ed.] According to the Sun Francisco Chronicle, the 1600 pages of the indictment brought against Gurevich, alleged that he played a key role in laundering illegal proceeds of Italian criminals. According to La Stampa, employees of the Central Bank of Italy received a warning from the Cypriot colleagues that the company Gurevich used for laundering the proceeds through a scheme of carousel fraud and smuggling of tobacco and drugs, committed, apparently, in Italy and the United Kingdom. ” Austrian publication Profil added that the investigation of the case involved and law enforcement agencies of this state.

Chief Jew Kyrgyzstan

Publications in the Western media to embarrass the Kyrgyz leadership, which had a prominent role in logistics contingent of NATO in Afghanistan. In Bishkek, Evgeny Gurevich still considered the most influential financial consultant, whose services are used by government agencies and state corporations. In Kyrgyzstan, he founded the MGN Group, and before the outbreak of the “Italian scandal” is its CEO.  In October last year, Gurevich explained Kabar.kg, that its holding “is focused on Central Asia, and offers a range of services in asset management and corporate finance.”  He noted that the mission MGN - “to realize the investment potential of Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia.”  After receiving a license in November of 2008, the consulting structure in record time included in the list of its clients the biggest bank in the country AUB (AUB), the government’s Social Fund and Development Fund, whose shares are managed by the Central Agency for Development, Investment and Innovation (TSARII ), chaired by the President’s son Maxim Bakiev. By the end of 2009, MGN, according to Gurevich, managed assets totaling $ 250 million. He himself went to the boards of a number of major Kyrgyz companies as well as the International airport “Manas” (the leader of the local market in air services), “Power Station” (State monopoly for the production of electricity), Kyrgyztelecom, Kyrgyzgaz, etc.

Distribution of activity of holding company led by foreigners, especially in such a short time, the key sector of the economy led to mounting criticism not only to the Hurewicz as his alleged backers around President Bakiyev.  In the local media began to appear publications that MGN owes his meteoric rise to Maxim Bakiyev, eager with the help of foreign consultants to take control of the most profitable market segments. Gurevich categorically rejected such accusations.  “We are absolutely without any support for the president’s family or the government” - he said in October last year.  And only in February of 2010 MGN CEO said in his blog that “had the honor to meet recently with Maxim Bakiyev,” after he led TSARII (October of 2009).  “I do not have long to meet a more talented and creative leader,” - noted Gurevich, although the president’s son is in the country rather odious figure.

Linking Hurewicz with Bakiyev, Jr., and “implementation” MGN in the public sector of the economy, caused manifestations not yet characteristic of Kyrgyzstan’s anti-Semitism. This was facilitated by the fact that other key positions in the leadership of the holding and take Russian-American Jews, and business partner

MGN is the founder of a Russian Jew - the owner of AUB Michael Nadel, who played a role in the emergence of Yevgeny Gurevich in the Kyrgyz market. As a result, he himself declared Zionist, but on local Internet forums began to appear the following remarks: “Walking in the wake of the Max (Maxim Bakiyev) resulted in a financial power of the country’s Jews, amerovskih and Russian, for which Kyrgyzstan - a base for enrichment, and people for them - black cattle.  Journalism is one of the leading online editions of the republic is explained in this regard, local visitors and blog-sphere, that the Jews “was originally in the blood is no such thing as a conscience - therefore they Kyrgyzstan just another litter, they poimeyut and thrown out ….”

Against this background, it is natural that with the publicity “the Italian scandal, opposition leaders tried to use” popular anger “to intensify attacks on clan Bakiyev.  March 11 Party Ata-Meken, led by former parliament speaker Omurbek Tekebayev, demanded the resignation of the president and his son - Director TSARII.  They are accused of that lobbied for the “interests of individuals to the detriment of national interests” and created an environment in which private company will have a fabulous profits at the expense of the impoverishment of the population.  Another opposition activist Edil Baisalov added: “The company is so deeply intertwined Gurevich with the current regime, that it is not limited to just financial, he actively participated in the gosreformy, promoted the idea of constitutional change.”

March 10, leaving all their positions (including CEO MGN), Gurevich publicly responded to the accusations made against him by the Italian court. Categorically refuting them, and calling a “misunderstanding”, he said that he intends “to the end to defend his innocence and innocence in court.” But the next day to a warrant for his arrest in Italy added to the charges of the company Eventis Telecom, lost in last year’s control over the second mobile operator of the republic “Bimikom.  By announcing now Gurevich involvement in the raider attacks, representatives Eventis Telecom announced that they would seek redress through the Court of Arbitration in Stockholm.

Some customers and partners even Gurevich rushed to distance themselves from him.  Since March 10, the Development Fund announced the termination of the agreement with MGN. 12-second press-service of the Holding Company issued a formal statement, which stated: “the charges against Yevgeny Gurevich charges not related to the activities of MGN Group, and refer to that period of time when the company MGN Group did not exist.”

Although the number of the local Jewish community is just over a thousand people, the special role of Jews in Kyrgyzstan’s economy - not a new phenomenon.
Even before the overthrow of the first president, Askar Akayev, Bakiyev of the clan in 2005, a noticeable influence on the economy benefited from an approximate one of the key Kyrgyz politicians Felix Kulov - Yuri Sosnowski.  Being a native of the republic, the former staff member of the Institute of Physics and Mechanics of Rocks of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, in the early 90’s went into business, mostly food imports from Kazakhstan and Russia.  Eventually he became the unofficial financial adviser Kulov, who until the change of power had time to visit the vice-president, minister of national security, the head of Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Mayor of the capital.  After the coup, from mid-2005’s to the beginning of 2007, Kulov was the head of government, and another three months before the official formation of the new cabinet proposed Sosnovsky take the post of Minister of Finance.  Preferring to remain in the shadows, he refused such a tempting offer, and at the same time, the virtual monopoly of foreign trade contacts Kulov.  How then, and Gurevich, special attention he paid to the development of linkages with foreign investors, especially from Western Europe and the USA.  In 2006, Sosnowski tried to draw on the local market, and Israeli businessmen, in particular liaising with the former IDF Chief of Staff Lipkin-Shahak.

But as soon as the clan Bakiyev sufficiently appreciated in the power, the new president hastened to get rid of a strong competitor, and squeezed Kulov from the government.  Replaced by Yuri Sosnovsky came other “gray cardinal” of Jewish origin. Besides revealing that, on suspicion of Moscow in the coming to power clan Bakiyev played a role disgraced oligarch Boris Berezovsky and his partner, Latvian banker Valery Belokon (one of the biggest foreign players in the Kyrgyz market).

In the second half of 2000’s local and Russian media have brought to the role of the new “gray cardinal” Michael Nadel - the main shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of AUB (AUB).  This - the largest commercial bank in Kyrgyzstan, which account for, according to Russian sources, “more than half of the republic’s budget, including salaries of employees of the public sector, all types of compulsory insurance, retirement savings, loans.  According to some media, AUB has managed to achieve such a special situation in the Kyrgyz market in no small measure due to the close connection with Bakiyev

This also contributed to the emergence of a banker in the country Yevgeny Gurevich. “I arrived in Kyrgyzstan, because my close friend, Michael Nadel, a long time working here, and built the most advanced and just a cool commercial bank in the country (and I helped him a bit) - Gurevich, admitted in early February of 2010 in its blog. For the three months before he is called AUB one of the main clients MGN Group.  However according to several media in the past few years Gurevich par with an allotment was a member of AUB Board of Directors.

As the portal IzRus one of the Knesset, which supports communication with Kyrgyz colleagues in Bishkek does not rule out that some representatives of business community of the republic, the situation will be interested to receive Israeli citizenship and even return to their historical homeland.

Interlocutor portal IzRus chose not to name any specific names, but noted that “there are already clear signs of this.” According to him, talking about individual representatives of an entire group of big businessmen and top managers, subject to the Israeli Law of Return.  And although almost all of them have American or Russian citizenship, “in the current difficult situation, Israel might be their ideal destination.”

“Another question: whether Israel is ready to accept them. In this case, is difficult to draw a parallel here with some of repatriated Russian businessmen. They are in contrast to the” Kyrgyz “colleagues before moving preoccupied by the creation of - sponsored various humanitarian projects, including those of national importance , acquired bonds among the local establishment. But representatives of the business community in Kyrgyzstan within the Law of Return, Israel has so far not interested. Moreover, the current scandalous background obviously will not help to provide them with Israeli citizenship, “- said the same MP.

In related news, 4/9/10:

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel is following with concern the developments in Kyrgyzstan and, given the friendly relations between the two countries, unpleasantly surprised by the anti-Semitic incidents in Bishkek. We hope that the government clearly favors on this occasion.”

MK Amnon Cohen of Shas, is actively involved in relations with Muslim countries of the CIS, believes that Israel should be ready for more drastic measures if the new government of Kyrgyzstan is not put to anti-Semitism in the country….A native of Uzbekistan, Amnon Cohen, a member of Knesset since 1999 he has served as chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Association Israel, Uzbekistan, and is also active in relations with Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. The last time Cohen visited Central Asia last December, when held in Tashkent a series of meetings with senior Uzbek officials. In addition, the MP is considered one of the most prominent figures of the World Congress of Bukharan Jews , whose president is an Israeli tycoon Lev Leviev.

From April 2009:

Tuesday, March 31, several hours before the formal entry of Avigdor Lieberman into the new office, the Israeli ambassador in Astana Yisrael Mei-Ami, who is also a non-resident ambassador in Bishkek, presented his credentials to Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

Day on March 31 Mei Ami went to the residence of the president to par with the ambassadors of Egypt, China, Vatican, Mexico, Switzerland, Greece and Hungary, to present his credentials Kurmanbek Bakiyev. As the portal IzRus mentioned Kyrgyz officials, in the waiting room an Israeli diplomat shook hands with his Egyptian counterpart.

Addressing foreign ambassadors Bakiev stressed that Kyrgyzstan is ready to cooperate with Israel without exception in all fields and relations between the two countries have absolutely no problems.

After the ceremony at the presidential palace Tsur and Mei-Ami, met with leaders of the Jewish community of the republic, whose strength is about 1200 people. As the portal IzRus one of the local Jewish leaders, at the cocktail party was attended by more than a dozen guests, of whom stood out: the Chief Rabbi of Kyrgyzstan Arie Reichman, chairman of the Society of Jewish Culture “Menorah” Boris Shapiro, and the leader of the local branch of the international Jewish charitable organization “Hesed” ( “Joint”) Rose Fish.

…Before them, the last official representative of Jerusalem, visited Bishkek in June of 2008, was the then Deputy Foreign Minister Majali Uahabe. But the history of diplomatic relations established between the two countries in 1992, Kyrgyzstan has been only one representative of the Government of Israel - Avigdor Lieberman in July 2001 the.