14.12.2016

Address by Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the joint session of the Chambers of Oliy Majlis dedicated to a Solemn Ceremony of Assuming the Post of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Assalomu Alaykum, dear compatriots! 

Dear Chairman of the Senate and the senators! 

Esteemed Speaker and the deputies! 

Ladies and gentlemen! 

First of all, addressing to you, my dears, and in your person to our entire nation, allow me time and again to express gratitude from the bоttom of my heart to my all fellow countrymen, who have laid a high trust in me and elected to the post of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 

Today, standing from this high rostrum, I express the heartfelt gratitude to the representatives of all nationalities and ethnicities living in our country, esteemed elderly, our kind and beloved women and energetic youth. I consider it bоth my duty and obligation to bow low to our diligent and magnanimous people who possess the high humane qualities. 

I consider such a high trust shown to me by you, my dear compatriots, our people and the nation as a big honor and enormous responsibility. I do promise to devote my entire strength and energy, knowledge and experience, and my whole self to justify such a high trust, which cannot be compared to or weighed by anything. 

I especially thank all members of the Uzbekistan Liberal-Democratic Party who have nominated my candidature to the post of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and supported me during the entire election. 

Along with this, I once again express my gratitude to the chairman of the Central Council of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan Khatamjon Ketmonov, the chairman of the Central Council of the “Milliy Tiklanish” Democratic Party Sarvar Otamurodov and the chairman of the Political Council of the “Adolat” Social-Democratic Party Narimon Umarov who have participated in these elections conducted on alternative basis. 

Taking this opportunity, I also express my deep gratitude, innermost esteem and high respect to all heads of foreign states, international organizations, the political and public figures, who have sent their congratulations and greetings to me, as well as the heads of diplomatic missions of foreign states in our country, who have supported us during the electoral process and are doing it at all times and participating today in our session. 

Dear compatriots! 

All of us are well aware that each and every sovereign state has its own unique history and culture. The people of this nation are duly considered to be those who truly create and make this history and this culture. The centuries-long history of our Uzbekistan and the period of its last 25-year development, the progress aimed at strengthening its state independence and sovereignty has once again confirmed this truth. 

The powerful and decisive force of this creative process is, no doubt, our multinational people. All of us are well aware how complicated periods and hard trials there were in the millennia-long history of the Uzbek people. The newest history of Uzbekistan and our world-known achievements give a full ground to confidently say that our brave and steadfast people are capable to overcome any difficulty, barriers and trials with their strength and willpower. 

We safeguard and preserve the bright memory of our ancestors and eternally cherish it in our hearts and souls. We are boundlessly proud of our teachers, mentors and contemporaries, who have dedicated their lives to the comprehensive progress of our dear Homeland by demonstrating in practice the unbending willpower, as well as the example of selflessness and courage. 

Today, I call upon the chambers of Oliy Majlis, political parties and movements, public organizations and our entire nation to unite the efforts along the path of one objective bequeathed to us by the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, dear and esteemed to all of us Islam Abduganievich Karimov. 

This noble task is to build the consistently and steadily developing, free, prosperous and democratic state of Uzbekistan. 

At present, Uzbekistan has its own commendable place and status in the world community. We are open for a close cooperation and practical dialogue with all states in the world. The last democratic electoral process has served as its another confident and vivid confirmation. 

You are well aware that nearly 600 observers from 5 prestigious international organizations and 46 states participated to monitor the elections. Especially, the full-scale mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Office on Democratic Institutions and Human Rights visited our country for the first time. That is to say, about 200 representatives from 32 states of this international structure, and this is a significant number, have monitored the electoral process, particularly, from the point of democratic principles. 

Our people vividly demonstrated their wish and willpower, high political consciousness and active civic stance in the elections. In its turn, this brightly reflects that our people are looking at their fate and the future with big confidence and responsibility. 

We accept the election results, first of all, as a fair and true assessment given by our compatriots of the democratic reforms being accomplished in Uzbekistan, the strategic program of progress defined for the near-term and long-term perspective. 

All foreign observers openly and unanimously acknowledged that the elections were conducted in the atmosphere of sound competition and struggle among the political parties, in full conformity with the provisions of our national legislation, the universally acclaimed international standards on elections, and in the spirit of freedom and openness. In the announcement of the final conclusions on the election results made recently by the Central Election Commission this truth has once again been confirmed. There is no doubt that all of us are pleased with such a high recognition and such a high assessment. 

Dear friends! 

Today, as I assume the post of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, I comprehensively and deeply feel and realize as a head of state the very enormous responsibility on my shoulders and to what extent it is difficult and responsible to govern the big nation and the big country of 32 million people as continuing the work of the great state and political figure, our dear teacher Islam Karimov. 

Our first President with his multifaceted political activity and noble humane qualities has left an indelible and bright trace in the centuries-long history of our Motherland. 

Our great Leader was recognized as a prominent person and figure, who won a profound respect, authority and acclaim not only in Uzbekistan, but also throughout the world. 

Therefore, at present, thousands of our fellow-countrymen are sending their proposals and suggestions on perpetuating the memory of our dear teacher. All of them are being extensively studied by the state commission. A separate resolution shall be adopted in this respect. 

Dear participants of the session! 

As I assume the enormous responsibility of being a leader of Uzbekistan, in today’s situation of rapid globalization in the world, intensification of clashes of various interests in the international community and given the tense situation of the ongoing global economic and financial crisis, I lean, first of all, upon our time-honored and wise people, your trust, help and assistance, my dear compatriots. 

All of you are well aware during the election campaign I have held many meetings and conversations with voters and the representatives of various layers of population. The practical proposals and lawful appeals enunciated at those open dialogues and the concrete measures taken to implement them, to be frank, have also served for me as yet another big school of life. The final conclusions of such meetings and conversations will serve as a program guideline for me in my very important and responsible activity as the President of the country. 

Today, the time itself puts forward before all of us, primarily, before me as the President of Uzbekistan, the new and very responsible tasks. 

I consider it appropriate to briefly inform you today in our session about these major tasks. 

First, we will steadfastly, resolutely and consistently continue the broad-scale political, economic and social reforms started by our dear First President Islam Abduganievich Karimov. 

This path is a solid foundation of building a free, democratic, humane state, establishing a civil society, raising the economic might of our Homeland and ensuring its further progress. 

As the President of the country, I consider it to be my major duty and task to strictly and unconditionally comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, ensure the rule of law, conduct the internal and foreign policy, which ensures the rights and freedoms of citizens. 

I think that certainly you are well aware of the fact that I have enunciated my ideas related to the practical efforts in terms of implementation of these fundamental principles in the address I had made at the solemn session dedicated to the 24th anniversary of our Constitution. 

In this regard, I ask the Speaker of the Legislative Chamber, deputies, the Chairman of the Senate and the senators along with State advisors of the President and the Government jointly elaborate the set of concrete measures on further improving and strengthening the legal foundations of the reforms and transformations to be implemented in our country. 

Second, I consider it my priority task to preserve as the apple of my eye and strengthen the interethnic and civil accord, the atmosphere of mutual respect, mercy and kindness reigning in our country. 

It is well-known that the freedom of conscience and religion and the rights of representatives of various nationalities are equally guaranteed and the atmosphere of religious tolerance is being consolidated in our country. At present, the representatives of more than 130 nationalities and ethnicities live in Uzbekistan in mutual harmony. The religious organizations belonging to 16 confessions are freely functioning. 

It will remain in the focus of our attention to further consolidate the mutual friendship and accord reigning in our society, ensure the equal rights for all citizens irrespective of their nationality, religion and faith. It absolutely won’t be allowed in Uzbekistan to disseminate the extremist and radical ideas, which would sow discord among representatives of various ethnicities. 

The ever intensifying bloody conflicts and confrontations, the danger of terrorism and extremism in some regions of the world today require us to be always vigilant and alert. In this respect, such resolute tasks as providing for the security and inviolability of Uzbekistan’s borders, solidifying the defense capability of our country and not allowing any evil to the country’s doorsteps will always remain in the focus of our attention.

Today, I deem it necessary to once again underscore the very idea, which is important from the principle point of view: Uzbekistan and its magnanimous people are consistently and solidly upholding the position of conducting a peaceful policy and implementing the principles of respectful approach to national and universal values. However, if it is necessary, we are capable of fiercely striking back against any attempts which threaten the sovereignty and independence of our country, the peaceful and tranquil life of our people. Therefore, I would like to address to our nation that no one should have any doubt about that. We have sufficient strength and power for that. 

Taking this opportunity, I express my sincere gratitude to the privates and sergeants, officers and generals of the Armed Forces, National Security Service, border and interior troops, as well as all servicemen for their loyalty to their oath and sacred duty. 

I am confident that you will continue showing the example of high professional skills, bravery and courage and will remain devoted to your patriotic duty related to preserving and consolidating peace and stability in our country. 

I ask the Security Council at the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan along with the Ministry of Defense and leadership of other structures to present in the near days the set of measures on preparing for and worthily celebrating the 25th anniversary of our Armed Forces. In this respect, it is expedient to introduce the proposals on decorating the deserving servicemen not only with recently instituted insignia, but also the high state awards. 

Third, we consider it our primary task to further and broadly solidify the feeling of justice in our life – the very feeling, which has been revered and prioritized over anything by our people for centuries. In this respect, the words with a deep meaning of our great sakhibkiran (great leader, commander), forefather Amir Temur: “Let justice be our company in each and every deed and a guideline program” must turn for each of us into a life credo. 

This issue is first of all an immediate task of the heads and employees of state government and governance bodies, the entire judicial system, prosecutor’s office, interior and supervisory structures, as well as the authorized person of the Oliy Majlis for human rights. 

We should take the strict measures in our society in terms of struggling against corruption, various crimes and other cases of infringement of law, not allowing them to happen, as well as ensuring in practice the provisions of law that stipulate the inevitability of punishment of crime. 

I think and I am confident that the deputies and senators, broad public and our entire nation will certainly endorse these efforts of our country in this important sphere of building a law-governed and democratic state. 

In further deepening the democratic reforms and implementing the concept of developing a civil society, we believe that, as it was before, the citizens’ self-governance bodies – makhallas, as well as the non-state, non-profit organizations, free and impartial mass media will take an active place. In implementing the important principle, namely, “From a strong state to a strong civil society”, above all, we will lean upon the strength and capabilities of such social institutions. 

In this regard, we will pay a special attention to the realization of the provisions on consolidating the institution of public control as the most important foundation of democracy enshrined in the Article 32 of our country’s Constitution, the laws and other documents such as “On the transparent activity of the state government and governance bodies” and “On the social partnership”. 

In this important work we will hope for and lean upon the advice and active assistance by all our citizens, above all, our esteemed and time-honored elderly and the representatives of greater generation with a profound life experience. 

It was thanks to the selfless labor of this particular generation that the large industrial complexes were built and modernized in its own time in our country. Thanks to their wit, intellect and efforts, the new branches of the industry based on high technologies were established, the rare infrastructure facilities were built, the movement of farmers was founded, the look of our towns and villages has radically changed. 

It was thanks to the great love, kindness and selflessness of these particular esteemed persons towards our Motherland that the solid foundation of the state of independent Uzbekistan was established. 

Taking today’s opportunity, allow me to express my high respect, esteem and sincere wishes to our dear elderly and veterans of labor for their diligent services along the path of the progress of our country and wish all of them a long life, sound health, happiness and well-being. 

In this regard, I would like to especially emphasize one idea: strengthening the attention and practical care for the persons of old age and the representatives of elder generation, increasing their pensions, bettering healthcare, social and consumer services for them will continue to remain as one of the most important tasks both for the President, our Government and all khokimiyats (governor’s and mayor’s offices). 

For this purpose, at present the set of broad-scale measures was elaborated on strengthening the state support of pensioners, lone elderly and people with disabilities. They will be unconditionally implemented. The additional necessary measures will be taken to increase the number of employees of the “Nuroniy” and “Makhalla” foundations, improving their material and technical basis, further raising their role and status in our society. 

Our dear women, who are the priceless virtue of the Almighty Creator, dear mothers, kind spouses, cherished sisters, beloved daughters and grandchildren always care about us, boundlessly believe and render strength and assistance to us along the path of overcoming all barriers and achieving our objectives. 

We are eternally indebted to you for your motherly mercy and kindness, womanly charm and compassion. 

For this purpose, we consider it our most important task to actively continue the state policy on protecting the health of mothers and children, giving jobs to women taking into account their living conditions, creating comprehensive opportunities on alleviating hardships of our sisters, raising the place and prestige of women in our socio-political life. 

All of us are well-aware that Uzbekistan is rich with raw and natural resources and boasts with powerful economic and human potential. However, our biggest wealth is an enormous intellectual and spiritual potential of our people. We know well and highly cherish that our respected intelligentsia – the people of science, techniques, and above all, our academicians, the people culture, literature, art and the representatives of sport are diligently and selflessly working in creating and further multiplying this potential. 

We should consider as our primary task to comprehensively support the scientific and creative research by these hard working people and create the necessary conditions for them. With such an aim, our government will elaborate and implement the concrete measures. 

Today, the pivotal appeal, namely “Our children must be stronger, more knowledgeable, smarter and certainly happier than us!” took a solid place in the minds and hearts of each of us, the parents and broad public. At present, the youth up to 30 years of age make up 32 percent of our country’s population, or 10 million people. The fact that our youth is turning into a decisive force of our today and tomorrow capable of rightfully assuming the responsibility for the future of our Homeland makes all of us proud and pleased. 

We must take to the logical end our broad-scale work being accomplished in this sphere, in particular, our national programs adopted on education and upbringing. 

With such a goal, the most important task of the Government, relevant ministries and departments, entire system of education, our esteemed teachers and professors is to take our work up to a new level on giving a comprehensive education to younger generation, upbringing it as physically and spiritually mature persons. The time itself necessitates upgrading our work aimed at creating the modern jobs for our younger generation and ensuring it to take a commendable place in life. 

We will continue the state policy on the youth with resolve and consistency. We will not only continue, but we will raise this policy to the higher level in line with the latest requirements as our top priority task. We will channel all available strength and capabilities of our state and society to raise our youth as happy and independently thinking people with high intellectual and spiritual potential, who stand not inferior in any sphere to their contemporaries in the world. 

Fourth, the implementation of the important principle and priority task as ensuring the steady growth of our economy will remain as a strategic objective for me as head of the state. 

Above all, we should accelerate the work started on further deepening the reforming and liberalization of economy, structural changing its branches and sectors. Such issues as modernizing the sectors and areas, increasing the level of their competitiveness and developing their export potential should constantly be in the focus of our attention. 

For this purpose, we need to more actively attract the foreign investments, advanced technologies and information-communication systems to all spheres. 

On this particular basis we should increase the gross domestic product of our country over two-fold by 2030. 

The issues of reforming the agriculture and ensuring the food security, no doubt, will remain as one of the most important tasks for us. Most importantly, a profound attention will be paid to consistently developing the complex of agricultural industry and its locomotive, i.e. the diversified farming entities, which are its driving force. 

The resolution of the set of issues related to reducing the participation of state in the economy to the strategically reasonable level, further developing and protecting private ownership will be defined as a top priority task for the government, relevant bodies of state governance and khokimiyats (governor’s and mayor’s offices) of all levels. 

Our another important task is to support and promote the small business and entrepreneurship, create the comfortable conditions for increasing the share of this sphere in consolidating the economic potential of our country, peace, stability and social accord in Uzbekistan. 

Since, a business person sustains not only himself and his family, but also the people and the society. 

I am never tired to reiterate the fact even it is being repeated that if people are rich, then the state is also rich and powerful!!! 

Therefore, from now on putting obstacles to the development of entrepreneurship will be assessed as putting obstacles to the policy of state and the policy of President. I deem it important and necessary to once again underscore this position which is very important from the principle point of view. 

During the meetings with the voters, I became personally deeply convinced that this particular demand was resolutely supported not only by business persons, but also the broad layers of our population. 

Fifth, the efficiency of the economic reforms and social changes which we are accomplishing is measured, first of all, to what extent they are affecting the material state, well-being and enhancement of the quality of the living standards of population. 

For this purpose, we have elaborated the concrete measures to gradually increase the wages, pensions, allowances and stipends and they will certainly be implemented. 

Starting from 2017, the new system will be introduced on providing jobs for the population, first of all, the graduates of lyceums, vocational colleges and higher educational institutions. 

Expanding the production of consumer goods and fully meeting such needs of the population, in particular, fully providing our people with variety of food products at affordable prices are among the important tasks before us. 

With an aim of protecting a human health, which is considered to be the priceless wealth for us, the Government should concentrate its attention on implementation of the set of measures on radically improving the sphere of healthcare, above all, the activity of its branches of primary healthcare and rural medical stations, further development of the specialized centers rendering services based on emergency healthcare and high technologies. In this respect, the other day the leadership cadres in the system of the Ministry of Healthcare have been entirely renewed and it can be said it was reinforced! 

All of you are well aware that for over the last time the concrete measures have been taken on improving the system of price setting for medicines and medical items. We will resolutely continue this work. 

Such reforms are especially worth noting due to the fact that they are aimed at cardinally improving the quality of medical services to the population and supplying it with medicines. 

You are well aware that some of the 15 targeted programs aimed at 2017-2021 were adopted and started to be implemented. In the near term, the work on approving the rest of them will be completed. 

All of the mentioned programs pursue one goal. They will be directed to tackling a number of urgent issues related to comprehensive development in the near 5 years of residential areas, especially, the rural areas, districts and cities, establishing modern engineering-communication, social and market infrastructure. 

Sixth, I consider it the most important and priority task for me to take the concrete measures on constantly conversing with people, implementing their lawful demands, appeals and proposals. 

From now on, the system will be established, according to which, not only the government, but also the relevant ministries and departments, economic entities, including the governors and mayors will be reporting on the outcomes of their activity in this direction. Their activity shall be evaluated based on the aforementioned. 

Therefore, I demand from each and every head and official to undertake a consistent and efficient work on this particular basis. 

You are well aware that we have announced 2017 in our country as “The Year of Dialogue with People and the Human Interests”. 

However, all of us well understand that the dialogue with people, talking to them, living with their problems and concerns and ensuring the human interests is not a one-year work for us. 

This issue will remain the top priority task in our forthcoming five-year activity. And all of us must deeply and well comprehend this truth. 

Since, whatever work we will accomplish in our country along the path of building a new state and new society, we will do all of it in consultation with our people: 

- It is these people who brought us up and raised us. 

- It is these people who sustained all of us. 

- It is these people who have laid their trust in us and elected us as leaders. 

Thus, who should we talk to in the first instance: we should talk to our people. 

Whom should we consult with in carrying out our work: first of all, we should consult with our people? Then our people will be pleased with us. 

If people are pleased with us, then there will be efficiency and blessing in our work. 

If people are pleased with us, the Almighty Creator shall be pleased with us. 

In this regard, we should recall the phrases with deep meaning stated by our great forefather Alisher Navoiy, which go as follows: “Odamiy ersang, demagil odami, onikim, yoq khalq ghamidan ghami”. 

It means that living with problems and concerns of people in this world is the highest quality of being a human. 

By these phrases our great forefather underscores that a person, who is far from the problems of the people, cannot be considered as an integral part of a human society. 

One can be astonished of how these immortal phrases go in full harmony with our current life, our dreams and aspirations and practical activities. 

In the activity of all state bodies, we should switch to qualitatively absolutely new system on working with the population’s appeals. 

In particular, starting from 2017 the system will be introduced, according to which, the governors and mayors of all levels, the heads of prosecutor’s office and interior bodies will be reporting to the people. 

Along with this, as we stated before, it will be necessary to establish the “public receptions” in each and every district and city and ensure their full-scale activity. 

It is necessary to clearly define the legal status of these receptions, their authorities and obligations and establish the activity of such a system in which not a single appeal must be left without consideration. 

In evaluating the activity of state bodies and officials, such principles as ensuring lawfulness, to what extent the citizens’ rights and freedoms are protected, the quality and openness of rendering the public services for them must be most important criterion for us. 

In this respect, once again I want to emphasize one notion. It is not the people who should serve the government bodies, but it is the government bodies who should serve our people. 

In this regard, we should raise the efficiency of the system currently in force related to critically analyzing the implementation of the most important social-economic tasks, the purposeful programs on branches and sectors, priority investment projects and other urgent objectives. 

Along with this, the practice shall be newly introduced, according to which, the heads of the complexes and economic branches of the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as governors and mayors will have personal reporting hearing before the President. 

The Government, governors and mayors’ offices shall be instructed to unconditionally implement the set of measures along with ministries and departments elaborated on the outcomes of meetings with voters and broad layers of population and aimed at tackling the problematic issues in terms of development of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, all regions and the city of Tashkent in 2017-2021. 

I deem it very important to actively continue the work on extensively studying the lawful appeals and complaints being sent today by citizens not only to the electronic mail and reception of the Prime Minister, but also to the President and tackling the issues being raised in them. 

Generally speaking, from now on, the results of the activity of the heads of ministries and departments and economic entities, as well as governors and mayors will be evaluated not based on the blank economic indicators, but based on how they engage with people and organize their work, to what extent the citizens’ problems are resolved. Afterwards, a relevant conclusion will be made. 

If the mark is positive and if the people are pleased, then we thank them. And if vice versa, we bid farewell to such heads!!! 

Dear friends! 

The fact of implementation of the broad-scale tasks before us, first of all, demands from me as a head of the state, three branches of state power, as well as all heads and officials a strict discipline. 

Today, the life itself requires to properly organizing our work, ensuring its efficiency and qualitatively upgrading the activity of the entire system of governance in line with the latest requirements. 

Certainly, I deeply comprehend that all changes that we are planning are quiet multi-faceted and very important. 

However, no matter what obstacles and hardships, the tense and urgent problems we are going to face with, we don’t have a right to adopt resolutions in rush and in a chaotic way, and we don’t have a right to allow for poorly thought-out actions. 

Our task is to strictly implement our model of progress and renewal based on the accumulated experience and advanced international practice. In this respect, in order to achieve the near and mid-term objectives, we need to act with a resolve. 

With this purpose, in the coming days the elaboration of the Strategy of Action on further development of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 will be completed. 

This strategy will encompass the five top priority directions related to state building, improvement of the judicial system, liberalization of the economy, acceleration of development of social sphere and implementation of active foreign policy. 

In order to implement in practice, the demand related to having a constant dialogue with our people, I propose before adopting this Strategy, it should be announced in the mass media and broadly discussed among our people. 

I am confident that such discussions will serve for further and fuller consideration of our people’s interests. 

Dear friends! 

It is well-known that in accordance with Article 98 of our Constitution, the responsibility for successful implementation of the priority tasks of the economic and social reforms was laid on the Cabinet of Ministers, each and every member of the Government and the heads of the state and economic governance bodies. 

In the first instance, this requires of the Prime Minister and his deputies the high-level personal responsibility and effective and full realization of the tasks entrusted with them. 

In this regard, I want to propose one suggestion. That is to say, the action program of the Cabinet of Ministers proposed at the joint sessions of the Oliy Majlis chambers on January 23, 2015 and September 8 this year must be further clarified, and proceeding from the latest requirements, the additions must be introduced into it. This is an urgent task. 

I hope that at the second part of our today’s session, the new candidature nominated to the post of Prime Minister will inform about the main directions and priority tasks of this program aimed at near and long-term perspectives. 

I believe it would be expedient that the major attention in this regard must be paid to the following strategic directions. 

First, preserving the high growth rates in our economy providing for further consolidation of the macroeconomic stability and our national currency; 

Second, the comprehensive and accelerated development of our country’s regions, i.e. the cities, districts and makhallas (neighborhood communities), especially, the economically and socially backward districts and towns; 

Third, to pay a special attention to increasing the real incomes and living standards of the population; 

We need to evaluate the efficiency of the work of the Government and personally its new leadership based on these particular criteria. 

With such an aim in the coming days the executive structure of the Cabinet of Ministers will be reviewed and adopted. 

The major goal of such changes is to elaborate the most optimal and effective system of state and economic governance bodies based on the accumulated experience and in line with the broad-scale new objectives on social-economic development of our country. 

In the focus of such system there should be perspective important tasks related to comprehensive development of not only the basic sectors of the economy, but also and first of all, of the regions, as well as ensuring the pivotal interests of our country’s all citizens and raising their incomes. 

Besides, we are also facing the tasks in terms of realization of the set of measures related to radical improvement of the activity of such central governance bodies as the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, the State Committee for Privatization, Demonopolization and Development of Competition, customs system and other departments. 

Increasing the efficiency of the activity of the banking system and other bodies of the market infrastructure also remains to be the urgent task. 

Unfortunately, at present their activity significantly lags behind the latest requirements of life and economic reforms. 

Therefore, we have also invited the heads of all large commercial banks to our session. 

From now on, their major goal is to radically change the methods of their work and secure the true trust of our citizens and entrepreneurs, and achieve to be a real assistant to them. 

Therefore, the state banks shall be instructed with the following tasks. Through organizing dialogue with each and every family, we need to create comfortable conditions for the citizens to engage in entrepreneurship. 

With this purpose, the commercial banks and their branches at the local level, proceeding from their own capabilities, will be laid with the task to render a financial assistance and support to business persons. 

In a word, from now on the banks should teach our people to engage in business, entrepreneurship and promote such initiatives. 

Thereby, the people will engage in business in the spheres of horticulture, cattle-breeding, craftsmanship, home labor, services, entrepreneurship, and others. Thus, they will establish their even a small company, will lawfully earn income, financially sustain bоth themselves and their families and will make a worthy contribution to the development of our makhalla, district, town, region and country. 

The main goal of this policy is to create the broad conditions and opportunities for each and every citizen to realize his strength and capacity, his talent and potential. 

Less than 15 days have left until the end of the year 2016. In order to successfully conclude the outgoing year, achieve the set goals and create a solid foundation for ensuring a stable development and accelerated growth rates of our country we need to channel all our efforts. 

I ask the leadership of the Cabinet of Ministers to comprehensively and thoroughly implement these tasks and provide a detailed report on this at the governmental meeting due next year in January. 

Dear participants of the session! 

According to Article 78 of our country’s Main Law, in modernizing the country, ensuring reforming and democratizing our society, the important place and responsibility was laid on the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of Oliy Majlis. 

For this purpose, the following three tasks should be implemented. 

The first task, it must be ensured that the instructions defined at the solemn meeting on December 7, 2016 must be concretely realized. 

You are well aware that at the festive ceremony held on the occasion of the anniversary of our Constitution, I have addressed to the deputies and senators with one proposal. 

My proposal was about that with an aim to create the influential mechanisms of the parliamentary and public control, it was necessary to introduce the procedure according to which they should learn the true state of affairs in the cities and districts and introduce the report of the relevant heads to the sessions of the councils of people’s deputies. 

For this purpose, the deputies and senators of Oliy Majlis, elected from each region, on a monthly basis need to travel to a district for 10-12 days. They should thoroughly learn, analyze and draw the relevant conclusions about the activity of the local government bodies, prosecutor’s office and interior department. Based on this, our distinguished Speaker and the Chairman of Senate must lead the discussions of these issues with local kengashes (councils). If such a system is introduced, certainly, tomorrow it will give its positive efficiency. 

The second task – it is necessary to undertake monitoring the implementation in practice of the Law “On the parliamentary supervision” in all spheres, including learning and introducing the advanced experience of foreign countries in this respect. 

Therefore, yesterday an important issue was discussed at the session of the Senate of Oliy Majlis and the relevant resolution was adopted. 

It is well-known that one of our priority tasks in the sphere of economy is to further consolidate the economic ties with foreign states and further enhance the international prestige of Uzbekistan through broadly propagating its economic capabilities abroad, accelerate the attraction of investments and further developing the sphere of tourism. 

Thus, with an aim to create the system of effective parliamentary supervision over the activity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other state departments in this direction, the post of the First Deputy Chairman of Senate was instituted. From now on the activity of the relevant Senate committee will be radically improved. 

I want to especially underscore the significance and importance of the third task, i.e. we should take the concrete influence mechanisms in terms of each situation related to non-implementation of the provisions of law. 

We need to continue to better the activity of the bodies of state power at the local level, the governors’ and mayors’ offices of all levels and the councils of the people’s deputies. Therefore, it would be expedient, to introduce the practice of organizing the work of exemplary councils of people’s deputies turn by turn in each region by the Senate of Oliy Majlis. 

Their main goal and task is to have a constant dialogue with all layers of the population and not only learn about the demands and the needs of citizens but to tackle them as well. 

We need to create comprehensively comfortable conditions on tackling the available problems in practice, as well as ensuring for the population to freely work, have a decent leisure time and commendable living standards. 

Proceeding from these criteria, we can make conclusions about the efficiency of the activity of local bodies of state authority on implementing the Articles 100 and 101 of the Constitution of our country. 

Therefore, I would like to especially underline that 2017 was announced in our country as “The Year of Dialogue with People and the Human Interests”. 

All of us are well aware that we need to carry out a lot aimed at enhancing the entire system of work with cadres in order to implement the broad-scale tasks before us. 

At present, it can be observed that in many instances in state and governance bodies the utilization of cadre potential, distribution of their duties and authorities is not reasonably and efficiently arranged. 

The worst is that this situation hinders our work. If you look at one agency, there are hundreds of employees who work there just nominally. If you look at another one, there is a lot of work and tasks, but not enough people and there is a lack of staff. 

The time has come to put an end to such incorrect distribution of labor. Each state employee must clearly know his duties and obligations, simply speaking, to be able to cope with his responsibilities. 

This is the requirement of contemporary time. If we do not fulfill this work ourselves in order to accomplish our tasks and objectives, no one will come from beyond and do it for us. 

From this point of view, I believe the time has come to develop a targeted program, which would encompass the important issues of forming the practical cadre reserve, their training and retraining. The main task is to form the new corps of managerial staff and officials with high professional skills and modern thinking, be capable of making the well thought-out and comprehensively correct decisions, and achieving the set goals. 

In this a special attention must be paid to training the skilled cadres for the regional governance bodies, above all, for the governors’ and mayor’s offices of districts and cities. 

For this purpose, the scientific and practical potential and capabilities of 6 academies, the Scientific-Education Center of Corporate Management at the Cabinet of Ministers along with educational institutions must be more actively mobilized. 

In this regard, it will be correct to say that the Academy of State Administration at the President is completely not fulfilling the task entrusted upon it. Therefore, we are forced to cardinally change the working method of this Academy and reconsider its managerial staff. 

Along with this, it is required to enhance the duties and authorities of local governors’ and mayor’s offices. 

The relevant proposals are being elaborated on delegating the additional authorities to local governors’ and mayor’s offices considering their role in comprehensive development of regions, implementation of social-economic programs, ensuring implementation of laws, efficient coordination of the activity of bodies of state power at the local level. 

Dear friends! 

You are well aware that the approaches and position of our state in the sphere of foreign policy have been thoroughly outlined in the address dedicated to the Constitution Day. 

In addition to those ideas, I would like to say that we consider deep studying and practical implementation of the best practices in the world as one of the important conditions of successful fulfillment of the broad-scale tasks before us. 

We will organize the close cooperation with foreign states, above all, the neighboring countries, as well as the international institutions in line with today’s requirements and based on mutual trust and consideration of mutual interests. 

The relations of cooperation with businessmen, who have demonstrated themselves as reliable partners, will certainly be continued in Uzbekistan. 

In this regard, the newly established Senate committee is required to consistently fulfill the tasks entrusted upon it. 

Dear fellow countrymen! 

All of us well understand that more enormous tasks are awaiting us. We will build the great future of our Motherland along with you, my dear compatriots. Together with our brave and noble people we will certainly achieve our set goals. 

Let the Almighty God support all of us in this cause! 

I wish all of you a sound health, happiness and success, peace and tranquility, plenty and abundance to your homes. 

Let our country be peaceful, our skies blue, and our people always be safe! 

Thank you for your attention.

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