This February 11, a working group headed by Akmal Burkhanov, Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan, visited Ferghana Region to study the work done to introduce an effective anti-corruption system and ensure the openness of the activities of local authorities in the region, as well as to discuss the tasks for the future.

In this regard, a meeting was held in the regional administration office with the participation of the head of the region, heads of sectors, members of the regional Council of People’s Representatives, specialists of the regional Anti-Corruption Council, heads of departments of government and economic agencies, employees of internal structures of anti-corruption control and media representatives. Akmal Burkhanov, Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency, delivered speech, during which he noted that in addition to taking preventive measures to eliminate systemic problems that give rise to corruption in all areas of the government and society in our country, considerable improvements are implemented in legislation, as well as responsibility increased in relation to persons involved in corruption.

According to the 2020-2021 analysis, a total of 414 officials of various levels were brought to criminal responsibility for corruption crimes in Ferghana Region. The number of those prosecuted increased from 153 in 2020 to 261 in 2021. Of those brought to criminal responsibility - 43 employees of government agencies of the regional and 371 employees of the district and city levels. Corruption crimes committed in the region caused the economic harm in the amount of more than 47 billion soums.

Studies and analysis show that the causes of corruption crimes include the persistence of a high level of the human factor in a number of areas, the poor organization of the implementation of effective forms of openness and transparency, and the lack of effective public control mechanisms.

At the meeting, special attention was also paid to the implementation of the tasks and instructions set by the Decree of the President of June 16, 2021 ‘On additional measures to ensure the openness of the activities of government agencies and institutions, as well as the effective implementation of public control’ by local authorities of Ferghana Region.

The study conducted by the Agency identified the following shortcomings: information on public procurement and information on the expenses for business trips of official persons and for the reception of foreign guests, stipulated in the Decree’s List of Socially Significant Information to Be Placed as Open Data, not placed on the official website of the regional administration (for the fourth quarter of 2021).

Other more shortcomings were identified in providing information on the composition of the procurement commissions and the approved annual cost estimate and its implementation.

In the analysis period from December 1, 2021 to January 12, 2022, the Ferghana Regional, District and City Councils of People’s Representatives held a total of 66 sessions, while the live broadcasting and live streaming of 40 sessions or 60% of 19 district and city Councils not provided.

Based on these figures, the region entered the top eight regions with the worst indicators. The following number of sessions of the Councils of People’s Representatives were not broadcast live: 5 each in Quvasoy and Uchkoprik, 4 each in Furqat, Yazyavan, Dangara, Beshariq, 3 each in Uzbekiston, Toshloq, Sokh, Rishton, Qoshtepa, 2 each in Quva and Oltiariq, and 1 in Ferghana districts.

The meeting criticized all those serious shortcomings and instructions were given to all district and city administrations to review their activities in the field and take measures to eliminate them.

In addition, proposals and recommendations were put forward on further measures to combat corruption and ensure the openness of the activities of local government agencies and institutions. In particular, the Agency representatives made a presentation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the Project ‘Open, Transparent and Accountable Territory’ in Ferghana Region. This project is a new initiative of the Anti-Corruption Agency, which is aimed at ensuring the implementation of national legislation in the field of openness, the implementation of the best experiences of foreign countries and the international standards in the region.

Within the meeting, the working group members organized a seminar, which discussed the identified shortcomings as well as measures outlined to eliminate them.

Press Office
The Anti-Corruption Agency