Arkady Dubnov, commentator for Russian online news agency “Vremya novostei” interviewed Maxim Bakiev, the son of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev in Hyatt Regency Bishkek, the five-star hotel in Kyrgyzstan. The interview coincided with the birthday of his father. I thought that it would be interesting for some readers to read the interview. So I translated the most interesting bits of it.

-Maxim, you are the president’s son…
-Well, sorry. (Laughs.)

-That it really not your fault. What is your status on the visiting card, “president’s son”?
-I do not have any visiting cards.

-You mean you do not need one because everyone knows you?
- No… I just never use them. I do not position myself as a son of president during business negotiations….

-And how do you introduce yourself to your business partners? As an owner of newspapers, ocean-liner or any other companies?
-Well, I don’t own any newspapers or liner; I just have a company that manages capital and assets…

-Can you name the company?
-My business partner Valery Belokon mentioned it in one of the interviews.

-Is this the interview which says that you do not own any property in Kyrgyzstan? Is it true?
-I have a house and a car.

-What about apartment?
-No. Political opponents of my father would always attack me with similar questions. My answer was: if you find here my property- I will give it to you!

-Former President Akaev and his children used to say the same.
-I don’t know what he said and what he did. I am talking about myself now.

- Were you in business before your father became a president?
- Yes, I was.

-Was your business in Kyrgyzstan?
-In Kyrgyzstan, as well as outside it.

-So, you owned business in Kyrgyzstan?
-Yes, I had a trading company. I closed the company right after my father was elected a president.

- In one of the interviews you mentioned that you would like to privatize “Crystal” plant (production of polycrystal)
-I did not mean that. I just said that I would not refuse to own companies that people think belong to me. I did not mention anything about “Crystal”.

- In your opinion, is there a national business-class with its own traditions and rules of game in Kyrgyzstan?
-As I understand there is some kind of business-elite, as there are rich people. Hmm, good question. But it is difficult to tell to what extend this elite is organized.

- Does this elite-class have its mechanism of protection from the government? From the population that does not like rich people… Can this class lobby its interests?
- Our parliament is already some kind of business-class. Deputies know how to lobby their personal business interests.

-Do you ever discuss business and economic problems of the country with your father?
- We do not discuss business at all, but as a person who is always interested in something new, my father asks me, for example, how the stock market works and what are the ways to get Kyrgyz strategic companies to the world stock market. These are the things we discuss.

-I see. So, you are not the one who stands behind the Kyrgyz economy?
- Definitely no.

You can view the full version of the interview here.