Becoming a Russian Oligarch After Rebirth
Chapter 227 Riding on the Same Boat_1

Chapter 227: Chapter 227 Riding on the Same Boat_1

Meshkov smiled and said confidently, "That’s not going to be a problem at all. This is the largest foreign investment in Crimea in many years, and it’s something that benefits all the people of Crimea. The parliament wouldn’t dare to obstruct it. The issue is, once the election is over, if I don’t get reelected and step down, there will be no one to ensure your smooth sailing."

After finishing, he gave Wang Ye a meaningful glance.

Wang Ye suddenly realized that if he were to handle this matter through Meshkov, he would be in the same boat with him!

Meshkov would ensure the success of his business, enjoy various privileges, and make a lot of money!

As for him, he would need to use his substantial financial strength to do some things for Meshkov as well...

Nevertheless, Wang Ye didn’t reject this, as this was how the rules worked here. It’s survival of the fittest, winner takes all!

To do big business here, certain things were simply unavoidable.

Since he chose this path, Wang Ye was mentally prepared. He also planned to "wrestle" with the prominent figures of this era...

The key issue now was for Wang Ye to weigh whether the cost of "supporting" Meshkov’s reelection was worth it.

Despite being a small place, Crimea has a population of over 1.7 million people, similar to a larger county in China...

The electoral system is based on universal suffrage, whoever gets more votes will be elected.

There is considerable room for maneuver in this regard!

Moreover, the funds required wouldn’t be substantial, something Wang Ye could afford.

......

After thinking for a moment, Wang Ye looked up and smiled, saying, "President Meshkov is a Russian, as well as a good friend of the Russian people. Moreover, under your leadership, the relationship between Crimea Peninsula and Russia has always been excellent. This is widely known. Therefore, as a fellow Russian, it’s my duty to support your campaign!"

By saying this, he is taking a stand and making it clear that he supported Meshkov in the presidential election!

In Crimea, the population is quite diverse, with more than thirty different ethnic groups!

However, Russians make up over sixty percent of the population, unquestionably the largest ethnic group. People like Meshkov, Angelina, Natalia are all Russian, hence their natural affinity towards Russia.

Upon hearing this, Meshkov was overjoyed!

He initially just tested the waters to see what Wang Ye’s reaction would be.

After all, Wang Ye was also asking him for a favor now, so even if he didn’t want to fully support him, he would at least give some "political donation".

A man of his wealth, wouldn’t be stingy, and any casual donation from him would be quite substantial.

That would ease his electoral budget and boost his confidence.

Meshkov still had some prestige among the people of Crimea, but elections are fraught with uncertainties.

Hence, various forms of publicity, speeches, rallies, and efforts to win votes are essential. The more funds he had, the better the chances.

If this were in the developed countries of Europe and America, those general elections were honestly won by throwing money at them!

According to US statistics, during the 2000 US election, the two presidential candidates spent a total of two hundred million US dollars!

As per Wang Ye’s knowledge, this figure rapidly increased in the following decade. In one of the elections, the two candidates "burned" 140 billion US dollars to compete for that position...

The electoral pattern here in Crimea is quite similar to that in Europe and the US. To win an election, one either needs personal charisma or the backing of richer financiers in the election team who are willing to spend more money!

However, Crimea is a poor place and there are hardly any decent enterprises, let alone the possibility of any candidate getting huge political donations to overwhelm their opponents.

Hence, in previous elections, most candidates have relied on their influence and personal charisma, which made it a fairly fair contest.

However, this election might see some changes. In the last two years, Meshkov’s relations with the parliament haven’t been good, which has significantly hampered his powers, and many of his proposals couldn’t get through parliament.

Now with another general election approaching, members of the opposition party have started to target Meshkov, claiming that he has held power for too long and fresh blood is needed in Crimea’s political arena!

Meshkov has been busy preparing for the upcoming general election. However, due to the poverty of Crimea, there are only a handful of decent businesses there, with only a few small-scale food processing factories and wineries. They couldn’t provide much "sponsorship".

Just as he was worrying about it, Wang Ye came over with his investment proposal. This gave Meshkov an idea...

......

"Ha ha, that’s wonderful! Mr. Mikhail, you are indeed a generous person. In that case, I have some pieces of art in my upstairs study. I would like you to come and appreciate them. Meanwhile, Mr. Yuri can discuss the investment details with others." Meshkov said with a laugh.

It was pretty clear, appreciating art was just an excuse. He wanted to have a detailed discussion about the upcoming election with Wang Ye...

However, this wasn’t something they could discuss openly in front of everyone, so they needed to go to the study for a private chat.

Wang Ye nodded, stood up with a smile, "I’m looking forward to it. Yuri, you can continue discussing the investment with everyone. Kaja, come with me."

Kaja quickly stood up, followed behind Wang Ye, and went upstairs with Meshkov.

Wang Ye invited Kaja because he planned to hand over the election matters to her follow-up.

The presidential election isn’t something that could be completed in a day or two. It requires quite a long time. He doesn’t have the leisure and energy to follow the entire process.

Lest we forget, another multi-billion dollar business deal was waiting for him!

Therefore, Kaja was chosen for this task. Wang Ye had begun to build trust in her and gradually cultivate her skills.

Meshkov looked at Kaja with surprise but didn’t say anything. He just smiled and took Wang Ye and Kaja upstairs.

Once they were in the study on the second floor and the door was closed, leaving only the three of them, Meshkov invited both of them to sit down.

Finally, they could talk about "direct" matters!

"Mr. Mikhail, as you know, elections require money..." Meshkov started off tentatively, choosing his words carefully.

Wang Ye smiled, interrupted him, and said directly "Don’t worry! I know all about it! Since I have decided to help you, I’ll make sure to do it right. Not only will we secure your presidential seat, but we will also get enough seats in the parliament!"