"Restrictions only increase corruption,” says Nazarov on the tree felling moratorium

Entrepreneur Murod Nazarov has stated that it is wrong to impose restrictions on construction activities in Tashkent. He made these remarks on July 17 during a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry dedicated to the construction sector.

According to Nazarov, entrepreneurs are often forced to cut down trees because they obstruct construction processes.

“The Tashkent city master plan is being amended. From now on, construction in the capital will take place either in renovation or reconstruction areas. Naturally, there is no free space—trees surround almost every building. A moratorium was imposed on the indiscriminate cutting of trees, which caused a major public reaction. But the reality is that even during reconstruction, trees interfere with equipment, and they still end up being cut down. There is no need for restrictions—restrictions only increase corruption. I am also against privileges,” Nazarov said.

He suggested that the solution lies in making construction companies responsible for planting new trees to replace the ones they remove.

“Let each construction company—or even a third party—work with a ‘tree bank.’ For example, we know approximately how much construction will take place in the coming years. We can also calculate roughly how many trees will need to be cut down. So let’s plant replacement trees in advance. Let’s determine how many trees we might need to remove, their diameter, and parameters. If necessary, let third-party companies handle this. And if a construction company has not planted trees in advance, it can buy them from a third party. This way, planting trees becomes an investment. For example, if trees are cut down in the Mirabad district, the newly planted trees would be transferred to that district’s balance. Let’s create such a mechanism instead of imposing limits,” the entrepreneur proposed.

For reference, Uzbekistan has established liability for illegal felling or destruction of trees. Under administrative law, individuals cutting trees without a permit can be fined up to 5 BHM, officials up to 10 BHM, and legal entities up to 50 BHM. If tree felling causes significant damage, is carried out by a group, or involves species listed in the Red Book, the penalty may include up to three years of imprisonment under the Criminal Code. Penalties for cutting trees in nature conservation areas are even more severe.