Page 47 - bne_Magazine_October_2017

bne October 2017 Eurasia I 47
arov as a “well known” Uzbek expert. According to the allegations, an "active member" of the Islamic State (IS) was meant to carry out a “terrorist act during state events”. This plan, Khaknazarov said, was organised by SNB generals during the second half of August. The plot failed to come to fruition as the IS member was supposedly arrested by the Kyrgyz state security services (GKNB) on September 2.
The claims should be taken with bucket- ful of salt, however, as the country is no stranger to unfounded rumours such
as the now disproven claims from late 2016 that Karimov’s disgraced daugh- ter had been killed. Yet assuming that there’s a grain of truth to these accusa- tions, why would the SNB scheme to assassinate Mirziyoyev?
The only known strong link between Mirziyoyev and SNB is the SNB head, Rustam Innoyatov. While a year ago Mirziyoyev became the successor to autocrat Karimov, his role was not so unlimited in power given his dependence on the other members of the unof-
ficial ruling team. It is thought politi- cal infighting has become a problem
– analysts say the situation is akin to
the power struggle that ensued follow- ing Stalin’s death in the USSR between Beria, Malenkov and Khrushchev. Inoya- tov and former finance minister Rustam Azimov were reportedly seen as the other two members of the ruling Uzbek triumvirate.
These views were partially proven when Mirziyoyev sidelined Azimov from the ruling triumvirate, and the president
return of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to Uzbekistan.
The departure of Azimov left Mirziyoyev with Inoyatov, who is widely known as the “kingmaker”. Inoyatov has report- edly been opposed to some policy changes which Mirziyoyev has been minded to green light, such as a plan to switch the embattled Uzbek currency over to a floating exchange rate regime. The security chief’s conservative influ- ence, nonetheless, has not impacted on
“The claims should be taken with bucketful of salt”
is now believed to be moving to consolidate his power. Moreover, on June 1 the publication of the contents of a leaked tape featuring Mirziyoyev confirmed that Azimov was under pressure. Azimov has been credited as the force behind the initial financial and economic reforms after Karimov’s death last September. These include the
the currency reforms launched in the country on September 6.
The now abolished black market was always rumoured to be under the control of the SNB, so the firings of security chiefs could possibly be part of an ongoing power struggle.
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