Do officials believe that the new law will effectively eliminate nepotism?

On June 5, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, signed the "On Conflict of Interest" law. A press conference held on June 7 highlighted the essence, significance, and updates related to this new law. A QALAMPIR.UZ journalist reported live from the event.

During the meeting, the journalist questioned how effectively the "On Conflict of Interest" law would be implemented. They inquired about who would ensure the law's application to major entities like the Senate, the Legislative Chamber, the Cabinet of Ministers, and the Judiciary, and whether the law's creators believed it would be fully enforced.

In response, Akmal Burkhonov, the director of the Anti-Corruption Agency, assured that the law would be enforced among top officials in the administration, government, parliament, and other high-ranking bodies, including the presidential administration.

"That's why we created a comprehensive list. Unlike the 'State Civil Service' law, this new legislation applies to state bodies, covering 28,000 offices and all their members. We aim to include everyone on this list," Burkhonov explained.

He highlighted the importance of the newly adopted law in building trust and acknowledged the issues with the implementation of the "State Civil Service" law, which has faced challenges due to incomplete adoption and technical reasons.

"What pleases me is the six-month period allotted for this law to take effect. This addresses all concerns. Many wondered why a six-month period was chosen, suspecting intentional delay. That's not the case. The objective is to ensure full preparedness when the law becomes effective. There should be no unresolved questions, particularly for civil servants since numerous cases exist under current regulations. We are requiring them to rotate, working elsewhere until the law is in effect. Hence, the six-month period addresses trust and ensures practical implementation, with specific decisions made to enhance effectiveness," Burkhonov stated.

Addressing why the president delayed signing the law, Burkhonov explained that detailed plans outlining commission membership and steps for the development and full implementation of the law have been meticulously documented.