Growing scandal over involvement of the President Bakiev's top financial adviser in multibillion international fraud scheme that took place in Italy, threatening stability of Kyrgyz Government's shaky ground. Soviet born Eugene Gourevitch, 33, who later acquired US citizenship represents MGN-Kyrgyzstan investment hub which controls major industries of Kyrgyz economy. Critics of President Bakiev insist that his son Maxim Bakiev, newly appointed head of the Development and Innovation Agency of Kyrgyzstan, has close ties to E.Gourevitch which was the main reason for MGN's unlimited powers over strategic sectors of Kyrgyz economy despite opposition protest.

News agency Reuters broke the news on March 9 covering Gourevitch's problem with Italian law.( http://www.reuters.com/arti cle/idUS362983270120100308 )

As Reuters reported, Rome Judge Aldo Morgigni issued an arrest warrant for Eugene Gourevitch indicating his involvement in "astonishing US$2.7 billion fraud activity of the wholesale telephony divisions of Telecom Italia SpA and Fastweb SpA between 2003 and 2006".

Further, Reuters reports that "Gourevitch is being charged with criminal conspiracy and money laundering, Judge Morgigni alleged the U.S. citizen had "created, managed and used... a series of companies through which he moved an enormous quantity of money constituting the 'cuts' destined for the various members of the conspiracy".

Immediately, as the news spreads,Kyrgyz and Russian news outlets such as Azattyk.kg (RFE/RL branch), Fergana.ru, Centrasia.ru as well as other social websites (Twitter,Facebook,etc) picked up the wire with further publishing attracting huge attention to the President of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiev whose handling of the country's economy sparked recent protests around the small nation of 5 million.

On March 10, Gourevitch's representative in Bishkek city,Kyrgyzstan held a press conference for local media denying any involvement in criminal activity posted by Italian authorities.( http://www.azattyk.org/cont ent/Kyrgyzstan__Yevgeny_Gur evich/1979673.html )

RFE/RL Kyrgyz branch Azattyk.kg reported Gourevitch's resignation from MGN-Kyrgyzstan management while political scandal is deepening in the country.

Since,the bomb shell news hit online community, Newrasia.net bloggers in Kyrgyzstan found out that critical of Kyrgyz Government independent websites aren't accessible any longer including RFE/RL branch in the country Azattyk.kg which wasn't blocked "just a couple of days ago".
( http://www.neweurasia.net/m edia-and-internet/internet- censorship-kyrgyzstan-block s-an-independent-web-site/? utm_source=twitterfeed& utm_medium=twitter )

Defiant opposition parties have been accusing President Bakiev in rigging 2009 presidential elections while consolidating executive power in the country with his direct role in diminishing rights and freedoms in central Asian republic.