148 employees of three banks were found engaged in business activities

A recent investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency revealed that 148 management employees of three major banks in Uzbekistan – "Mikrokreditbank," "Business Development Bank," and "Turonbank" – were operating 155 business entities as founders. This discovery raises concerns about the integrity of bank officials, as such activities are prohibited by Uzbek law.

- "Mikrokreditbank" had 94 management employees registered as founders in 96 business entities.
- "Business Development Bank" had 41 management employees involved in 46 business entities.
- "Turonbank" had 13 management employees linked to 13 business entities.

"The agency has submitted official reports to the banks, urging them to address the situation. As a result, the banks are holding discussions and issuing warning letters to the employees found violating the regulations," the report stated.

Uzbek laws, specifically the "Law on Guarantees of Freedom of Entrepreneurial Activity" and the "Law on State Civil Service," prohibit civil servants, including bank officials, from engaging in entrepreneurial activities to prevent conflicts of interest and maintain transparency in their official roles.

This is not an isolated case. Similar findings were reported in other government sectors, with 398 management employees from various ministries and organizations identified as founders of 449 business entities earlier in September. Additionally, another investigation revealed 107 employees from the Ministries of Transport, Preschool and School Education, and Culture linked to 116 business entities. These findings suggest a broader issue of public officials engaging in private business ventures across multiple sectors of Uzbekistan.