Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is considered a friend of President Vladimir Putin, is expected to replace former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's son-in-law Timur Kulibaev on the board of directors of Russian energy giant Gazprom.
Gazprom said on February 4 that its annual general shareholders meeting in late June will chose the board of directors, with the list of candidates already approved.
Schroeder, the chairman of the shareholders committee of Nord Stream AG, is on the list to replace Kulibaev, the chairman of the Kazenergy company.
Gerhard Schroeder (file photo)
Last month, Kulibaev, who has been a member of Gazprom's board since 2011, left the post of chairman of Kazakhstan's National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Atameken, following the deadly anti-government protests in the oil-rich Central Asian country in January that were blamed in part on the legacy of corruption that stemmed from Nazarbaev's regime.
Two other sons-in-law of Nazarbaev, Qairat Sharipbaev and Dimash Dosanov, have also been pushed out of top jobs at major state energy companies, QazaqGaz and KazTransOil, respectively, in the wake of the protests.
Several other Nazarbaev relatives have also lost top positions in the tightly controlled former Soviet republic.
SEE ALSO: Kazakh Lawmakers Approve Bill Further Curtailing Former President's PowerProtests in the remote town of Zhanaozen in early January over a sudden fuel-price hike quickly spread across the country and led to violent clashes in the largest city, Almaty, and elsewhere.
The protesters' economic discontent was quickly followed by broader popular calls against corruption, political stagnation, and widespread injustice.
Much of their anger appeared directed at Nazarbaev, who had ruled Kazakhstan since 1989 before handing over power to current President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev in 2019. However, he was widely believed to remain in control behind the scenes.
In his first-ever public criticism of Nazarbaev, Toqaev said that under his predecessor's leadership, many lucrative businesses and extremely rich people had appeared in Kazakhstan and that it was now time for ordinary people to receive what they deserved.
SEE ALSO: Kazakh President Says 'Gap Between Rich And Poor' Sparked Deadly ProtestsAfter the protests, Toqaev announced a new slogan -- "Let's build a new Kazakhstan together!" -- promising democratic reforms, higher salaries, affordable education, social allowances, and jobs.
On February 4, Energy Minister Bolat Aqsholaqov said Kazakhstan had asked foreign companies operating in its main oil fields to supply the domestic market so it can boost its refining industry and tackle the rising fuel prices that led to the deadly violence.
Kazakh officials say 227 people, including 19 law enforcement officers, were killed during the unrest across the country.
Human rights groups insist that that number may be much higher, as scores of people remain missing, and that many peaceful demonstrators and people who had nothing to do with the protests were killed by police and military personnel following Toqaev's "shoot-to-kill-without-warning" order.