Uzbekistan Talks Up Reforms
Uzbekistan Talks Up Reforms
A conference that opened on July 20 is focusing on the state of political and economic reforms in Uzbekistan, but it leaves NBCentralAsia commentators wondering what substantive changes the authorities can be referring to.
The three-day event, entitled “Political and Economic Reforms in Modern Uzbekistan: Current State and Prospects”, is being organised by Uzbekistan’s Centre for Civil Society Studies, Centre for Political Studies, and economics ministry, in conjunction with the United States’ National Democratic Institute, the European Institute for International Relations, and the OSCE mission in Tashkent.
According to the UzReport news site, “The event aims to present the phased nature of reforms in the areas of state and civil society development in Uzbekistan; and to inform the international community of progress in liberalizing all aspect of social, political and economic life.”
Over the past 18 months, the Uzbek authorities have adopted a programme to counter the effects of economic crisis, revised a number of laws relating to judicial practice, and announced reforms of the courts and a general process of liberalisation.
In reality, NBCentralAsia commentators say, no reform process is apparent.
“Political and economic reforms are very unlikely to happen, given the current rigid hierarchy of power, the lack of balance between the different branches of authority, and the tight control which the security services exercise over the public,” said Tashpulat Yoldashev, an Uzbek political analyst based abroad.
The three-day event, entitled “Political and Economic Reforms in Modern Uzbekistan: Current State and Prospects”, is being organised by Uzbekistan’s Centre for Civil Society Studies, Centre for Political Studies, and economics ministry, in conjunction with the United States’ National Democratic Institute, the European Institute for International Relations, and the OSCE mission in Tashkent.
According to the UzReport news site, “The event aims to present the phased nature of reforms in the areas of state and civil society development in Uzbekistan; and to inform the international community of progress in liberalizing all aspect of social, political and economic life.”
Over the past 18 months, the Uzbek authorities have adopted a programme to counter the effects of economic crisis, revised a number of laws relating to judicial practice, and announced reforms of the courts and a general process of liberalisation.
In reality, NBCentralAsia commentators say, no reform process is apparent.
“Political and economic reforms are very unlikely to happen, given the current rigid hierarchy of power, the lack of balance between the different branches of authority, and the tight control which the security services exercise over the public,” said Tashpulat Yoldashev, an Uzbek political analyst based abroad.
