Author: Diloram Tashmukhamedova, the Speaker, the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan



The 21st anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence, widely celebrated in 2012, allows us to take another look over the years, and to objectively evaluate the results achieved during the period of our independent development. During this period, the strategic course of reform and modernization of the country – known as the “Uzbek model of reforms” – was consistently carried out. Within this strategy, the economic, social reforms, political modernization, and formation of civil society occurred. As a result of ongoing changes during the years of independence, the political system modernized, based on the principle of separation of powers, with effective legislative power in the face of a two-chamber parliament, a dynamic multi-party system, effective executive power, and an effective judicial system has been created. A dynamic socially focused economy based on market mechanisms was established.

Organizational and legal conditions were also adopted for the establishment of civil society institutes. In particular, during the period of independence, the number of NGOs operating in the country has increased by more than 30 times; print media, two; and electronic mass media, more than seven times. In addition, about 53 percent of all TV and 85 percent of radio channels are non-state operated.

The effectiveness of the reforms led to steady economic growth of Uzbekistan during the global economic crisis, thus demonstrating the foresight of the country’s model in its transition to a market economy. Thus, the GDP in Uzbekistan for years of independence grew more than 4.5 times, and per capita, by almost three times. Even in 2008-2010, at a time when most of the countries of the world had significant decline in the growth rate of the economy, the GDP of Uzbekistan made 8.1 - 9 percent. Real income per capita, compared with 2000, increased by 8.6 times; the average salary exceeded the cost of the consumer basket by more than four times.

It is characteristic that along with growth of the population income, the share of income from business activities is steadily growing, from small to private businesses. All this is the result of enormous attention paid in Uzbekistan to the creation of a favorable business environment, as well as small business and entrepreneurship development.

During the years of independence, there have been major changes in the ownership structure, a mixed economy has been formed in which private property received priority development. If at the beginning of independence in Uzbekistan there was virtually no private enterprise, today more than 90 percent of all businesses are small business enterprises. Small business and entrepreneurship hold a defining place in the national economy, but also are the main sources of filling the market with the necessary goods and services, income growth, and the welfare of people, which is the most important factor in the growth of employment. It accounts for about 54 percent of today\\\'s GDP, 22 percent of manufactured industrial, and 98 percent of agricultural production. In this sphere, more than 75 percent of the total population is employed.

It should be noted that at a time when a serious problem in many countries is the continuing increase in the external public debt, Uzbekistan does not exceed ten percent, and the State budget for the last eight years is running a surplus. In particular, in 2012 the government budget surplus is 0.4 percent to GDP.

Targets that have been attained in social and humanitarian measures are especially impressive. During the years of independence, state expenses for social protection per capita grew by more than five times; every year, about 60 percent of the State budget goes to health, education, and other areas related to the social protection of the population. Results of this policy is the significant improvement of the quality of life of the population; reduction of the level of maternal mortality more than twice, the child mortality rate, by three times. The average life expectancy for men has increased from 67 to 73 and women to 75.

In 2012, the Legatum Institute (UK) in its index of well-being and prosperity put Uzbekistan in 64th place among the world countries. In this case, on the level of social welfare, including the duration of life, family well-being, low unemployment, access to social infrastructure, Uzbekistan has ranked consistently high in the international community.

No doubt, funds invested today in education and science help to create a solid foundation for a highly intellectual society. In particular, in the report “Global Innovation Index” in 2012 of the international business school “Inssad” (France), prepared jointly with the World Intellectual Property Organization, and which contains a comprehensive analysis of innovative development of 141 countries of the world, Uzbekistan holds 35th place in human capital development, and second place for its educational system.

At the same time, as the head of our state has repeatedly emphasized, everything that has been done over the years of independence is only the beginning. This is only part of a long and difficult path to set a long term goal: to join the modern, developed and democratic countries, and to provide to the people a rightful standard of living and a worthy place in the international community. Only a continuation of large-scale political, social, and economic reforms in line with the fully justified chosen model may provide further stability and an improvement in the quality of life, thus allowing us to take our rightful place in the international community.

This is the reason for adoption in 2010 of the Concept of further deepening the democratic reforms and formations of civil society, which is leading us to a new stage of development for society and the state.

The Concept’s key priorities include further deepening of constitutional reforms; democratization of state power and administration, the judicial and legal system, and the information sphere; providing freedom of choice and the development of electoral law, the formation and development of civic institutions, and the liberalization of the economy.

Thus, the practical implementation of the Concept of further deepening of democratic reforms and formation of civil society in the country involves the simultaneous execution of democratic reforms in several interrelated spheres of the state and the public. This will help to further entry of Uzbekistan into the number of democratic states, in which the rule of law and human interests are above all.

According to the Concept, 15 laws have been already adopted. In particular, certain articles of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan were amended to provide the right of a political party that won the majority of seats in the Oliy Mazhlis, to make proposals on the candidacy of Prime Minister. The institute of a “vote of no confidence” to the Prime Minister has been introduced, hearings of reports of the head of the government on topical issues of social and economic development of the country, and a number of other fundamental innovations are included. In the election laws, changes and additions have been adopted that are designed to further democratization in creating a unique electoral system. These changes will provide even greater transparency and openness of the electoral process, increasing the efficiency of pre-election campaigns, and the election commission’s activity.

Uzbekistan continues to work on further implementation of the principle “From the strong state, to a strong civil society,” to strengthening the role of NGOs and other civil institutions, which are an important factor in the democratization of society and the country’s integration into the international community, to ensure civil, international interfaith harmony.

In particular, a set of organizational and legal measures have been developed to increase the role of self-governing institutions of citizens in the implementation of targeted social support of the population, the development of private entrepreneurship and family business, and the solution of other essential problems of the population. The bills aimed at further strengthening social partnerships between civil society and government institutions, the establishment of effective legal mechanisms for public control over activity of the state governing bodies are being developed.

According to the Concept, large-scale work is also carried out to ensure the independence and autonomy of the court, to strengthen the judicial pre-trial stage, to expand the scope of the institution of “Habeas Corpus,” and to establish effective institutional mechanisms of checks and balances in the system of law enforcement and regulatory authorities. The purpose of the work undertaken is the further democratization of the judicial and legal system, law enforcement and the rule of law, decriminalization of the criminal legislation.

Uzbekistan faces major problems, however, in reforming the information sphere, and providing a freedom of speech and information. A democratic society is impossible without freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and freedom of choice. According to the Concept, we are also developing bills to ensure openness of activity of state governing bodies, strengthening an independent mass media, introducing market mechanisms in the information sphere designed to better meet the constitutional rights of citizens to freedom of expression to ultimately ensure transparency of these reforms.

And, finally, comprehensive work is now being carried out to further deepen democratic market reforms and economic liberalization, structural reforms, and the increase of competitiveness of the national economy in regional and world markets. Importance is also given to further increasing domestic demand, which, in the context of the ongoing global financial and economic crisis, becomes important as a stabilizing and stimulating factor for sustainable economic development.

It is possible to say that the most important result of all the work on the modernization of the country on the basis of the above strategy is that the policy of reform and democratization receives full support of the people, especially of youth. They are the determining force as we continue to reform and modernize our country, and connect to a great future.