Officials may face corruption testing in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan plans to introduce a new system to test civil servants for potential involvement in corruption, according to Akmal Burkhanov, Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency.  

The proposed system will evaluate the level of corruption risk among individuals in managerial positions as well as candidates in reserve for such roles.  

“This initiative will help us identify those who may have joined the civil service with improper motives, such as the pursuit of illicit wealth, while ensuring the selection of honest and ethical personnel for government agencies,” Burkhanov stated.  

The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts to tackle corruption in Uzbekistan. In a recent case, the head of the Emergency Situations Department in the Pop district of Namangan region was arrested for accepting a $160,000 bribe. The official allegedly facilitated the registration of two hectares of land, initially allocated to five family members through a district governor’s decision, to a buyer. The bribe also reportedly included securing permissions to construct cottage-style homes on the property.