Prosecutor-General of Uzbekistan Rashid Qodirov said corruption has been hindering private business in the country, Uzbek Yoshlar Radio reported on 19 July.

Rashid Qodirov was addressing a government meeting dedicated to sum up Uzbekistan\'s performance in the first six months of 2005.

\"Speaking at the meeting, Rashid Qodirov said it had become common that instead of helping businessmen, regional officials try to get payoffs from entrepreneurs for providing small ?services? to them. Another problem in this area is banks. Banks will never give any credit to anybody without a backhander,\" the report noted.

The government meeting also discussed the implementation of Uzbekistan\'s investment projects in 2005, the report said.

?The meeting sharply criticized the slow process of using foreign investment and delays in financing a number of projects,? the report said.

It went on to say that another issue criticized at the meeting was the privatization process. \"The State Property Committee\'s work in this field was deemed unsatisfactory. The committee\'s chairman was instructed to take urgent measures to remedy the situation,\" the report said.