One of the famous forums of Uzbekistan Forum.Arbuz.com again makes its members think about the alternatives to the current regime in the country. A recent topic about “Would Alisher Usmanov be a good president of Uzbekistan?” generates a great debate on the issue. Some people, believing in Usmanov’s money and connection in world business arena, argue that he would be the perfect candidate to replace Islam Karimov. While others, referring to Usmanov’s criminal background, debate saying that the country will become more corrupted. The topic got a lot of comments the great part of them is just a shallow answers saying good and bad. Though, there are couple of comments that, I think, deserve your attention.

Gruppenfuehrer leaves a fruit of his fantasy about Usmanov becoming a president (translated from Russian).

1. Right after Alisher Usmanov becomes a president, Tashkent will host a big “party” of criminals from around the globe. The streets of Tashkent will be decorated with big billboards that say “Mafia forever” or “Congratulations from brotherhood”
2. TV will be showing only mafia movies
3. There will be great changes in law enforcement bodies’ administration systems. The chiefs will be replaced by criminals
4. There will be significant changes to the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan. Advisors of president will be given a right to pardon criminals without any investigation
5. Ruslan Chagaev will become an absolute champion in boxing in the world, as everyone will refuse meeting with him in the ring
6. Rustam Kasymjanov will become world’s absolute master in chess
7. Arsenal will have new uniform with national Uzbek symbols (like cotton) on it
8. And there will be a match between Arsenal and Pakhtakor
9. New taxes will be introduced - to help the brotherhood
10. Usmanov will begin privatizing the government institutions
11. And in six months he will become the worlds top billionaire, and Uzbeks, of course, will be proud of being ruled by the world’s richest person
12. And in six moths Alisher Usmanov [just like Karimov] will be teaching farmers how to plant cotton, and builders how to put a brick, etc.

Inspired by Gruppenfuehrer’s wild fantasy, Frida comes up with the results of his/her own imagination.

1. Uzbek Anthem will be changed to a music from a Russian movie “Brigada” [famous Russian movie about gangsters], but there will be a huge debate, because some of the Alisher Usmanov’s team members also like the music from the movie “Godfather”. However, a patriotic Alisher Usmanov will support “Brigada” voters.

2. Our current slogan “Uzbekistan is a country with promising future” will be changed to a “Forget about it” — with New Jersey accent /forgetta abaaut it/.

3. National sport Kurash will be replaced by “Cards”, and introduced in education. The first graders play “Durak” [card game] and so on, the level of difficulty will raise based on the grade and in grade 10 schools kids will be prepared to a Poker championship in Las-Vegas (in a couple of years, actually, kids will be so good that world championships will be held in Tashkent)

Very interesting. I had a great fun reading all these and other comments. What do you think about it? Would Alisher Usmanov, a ferrous metal and mining tycoon and Russia’s 18th richest man with good connections with the governments of many countries, be a good president of Uzbekistan replacing YouKnowWho?