President Mirziyoyev on reforms and accountability in Emergency Services

Last week, General Major Abdulla Kuldashev, who had served as Uzbekistan's Minister of Emergency Situations since 2022, was dismissed from his position. On March 5, during a Senate meeting, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev revealed the reasons behind the dismissal of Kuldashev and his deputies.

According to the President, the decision was made due to increasing bureaucracy and legal violations in granting construction permits and ensuring fire safety compliance. These issues had escalated significantly, prompting the leadership change.

Additionally, Mirziyoyev highlighted corruption in the process of allocating land to citizens, where individuals were often caught between local governors and multiple agencies. This sector had become a "hotbed" of corruption. To address this, the government has transitioned to an auction-based system for land allocation, eliminating the need for governor approvals and making the process more transparent and citizen-friendly.

The construction sector, previously one of the most corruption-prone industries, has also seen improvements following the introduction of the "Transparent Construction" program. Positive changes are evident, with the number of contractors involved in state-funded projects increasing significantly. While fewer than 1,000 contractors participated in such projects in the past, over 4,000 contractors worked on 13,500 projects last year. Digitalization in the sector has saved 3.6 trillion soums in budget funds over the past four years.

It is worth noting that Botir Bahromovich Kudratkhojaev was recently appointed as the new Minister of Emergency Situations by presidential decree. He was also awarded the rank of General Major. On March 4, Khurshid Tolkinboevich Sotiev was appointed Deputy Minister and Head of the Emergency Situations Prevention Department, while Nuriddin Bahriddinovich Kodirov was named Deputy Minister and Head of the Department for Spiritual and Educational Work and Personnel Management.