Astana Street Named After Former Prime Minister Involved in Corruption Scandal

The street in the Yesil district of the capital was named after Nurlan Balgimbayev. He is known not only for holding high positions under Nursultan Nazarbayev but also for a corruption scandal that erupted in the United States, Orda.kz reports.

Astana Akimat recently announced the grand opening of the street and the memorial plaque. Representatives of the capital's authorities, intellectuals, oil and gas industry veterans, and Balgimbayev's relatives attended the event.

The new street, more than a thousand meters long, is in the Yesil district. It appeared after two streets merged: Bezymyannaya and No. 29/1. 

Today is a significant day in the socio-political life of our city. Per the instructions of the Head of State, the street of the capital is named after the historical figure, outstanding state and public figure Nurlan Balgimbayev. This street is located in the city center, where there are many residents and guests of the capital. Undoubtedly, much of what he did was written in golden letters in the history of our independent country, said Deputy Akim of Astana Yeset Baiken.

Nurlan Balgimbayev passed away in 2015.

Under the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, he held the positions of Minister of Oil and Gas Industry, President of the National Oil and Gas Company Kazakhoil, Advisor to Nursultan Nazarbayev, and General Director of a KazMunayGas's subsidiary.

He was also a consultant at the Chevron oil company in the American city of San Ramon. He headed the country's government from 1997 to 1999.

However, Balgimbayev was also involved in an international scandal known as "Kazakhgate."

Kazakhgate is a high-profile U.S. court case involving corruption in Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industry. The investigation began in 2003 and focused on bribes paid to Kazakhstan's officials, including Balgimbayev, to give American companies access to the country’s oil fields.

The main person in the investigation, American banker James Giffen, was accused of giving around $84 million in bribes. Despite the evidence collected, the case was closed in 2010, as Giffen's defense claimed that he acted in the interests of the United States and with the tacit approval of the American authorities.

The scandal went down in US history as one of the biggest investigations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Original Author: Danil Utyupin