Openness a Precondition for Uzbek Reforms
Openness a Precondition for Uzbek Reforms
If they are serious about pursuing reforms, the Uzbek authorities need first to open up the political system and end the country’s economic isolation, analysts say.
According to the state news agency UzA, a three-day forum in Tashkent on political and economic reforms which ended on July 22 was told of the changes under way in Uzbekistan to create effective systems of checks and balances, an independent parliament and judiciary, and “a transition from a strong state to a strong civil society”.
The event was attended by representatives from the OSCE mission in Tashkent, the United States’ National Democratic Institute and the European Institute for International Relations as well as Uzbek institutions.
A determined effort to show that Uzbekistan is reforming began in 2008, when President Islam Karimov secured a third term in office. Capital punishment was abolished, laws relating to judicial procedure were amended, several political prisoners were released, and the number of seats in parliament was increased.
On the economic front, tax inspections and other bureaucratic obstacles were eased for businesses.
NBCentral Asia observers say these changes would be good if only they were put into practice.
A far-from-independent judiciary means journalists and human rights activists are still prosecuted on charges that are clearly politically motivated. All branches of power centrally controlled by the president control, and all media are state-run.
“In that context, it’s pointless to talk about political or economic reforms,” said Tashpulat Yoldashev, an Uzbek political analyst now based abroad.
Detlev Kraa of the Market Economics and Democracy Development in Eastern Europe group, who attended the event, said the political process in Uzbekistan was not transparent and parliament did not play much of a role.
“Most bills come from the government,” he said. “That means parliament does not play an important role in politics, as it is simply the body that endorses decisions made by the executive.”
Kraa believes public scrutiny is an essential element in an effective parliament.
Jan Dirk Blaauw, a member of the Assembly of the Council of Europe and a consultant on political and economic affairs, says the introduction of a multi-party system in Uzbekistan is a progressive measure, although he believes parliament will continue to be dominated by one party.
Mikhail Vinogradov, who heads the Trend news analysis agency in Russia, came to the forum to find out more about economic reforms and finds the policy of clearing away the obstructions facing small businesses particularly interesting. But he says it is difficult to get to grips with the situation as information is not publicly available.
“It isn’t always possible to give a real assessment of the situation,” he concluded.
Other observers see the fact that the economy is so heavily controlled by the state and isolated from the outside world as a risk. Firms have to contend with corruption and an uneven playing field.
“Uzbekistan’s main achievement is stability – there is no massive social unrest here,” said Christian Wiesenhutter, who heads the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Berlin. “However, stability of this kind may impede development.”
(NBCentralAsia is an IWPR-funded project to create a multilingual news analysis and comment service for Central Asia, drawing on the expertise of a broad range of political observers across the region. The project ran from August 2006 to September 2007, covering all five regional states. With new funding, the service has resumed, covering Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.)
According to the state news agency UzA, a three-day forum in Tashkent on political and economic reforms which ended on July 22 was told of the changes under way in Uzbekistan to create effective systems of checks and balances, an independent parliament and judiciary, and “a transition from a strong state to a strong civil society”.
The event was attended by representatives from the OSCE mission in Tashkent, the United States’ National Democratic Institute and the European Institute for International Relations as well as Uzbek institutions.
A determined effort to show that Uzbekistan is reforming began in 2008, when President Islam Karimov secured a third term in office. Capital punishment was abolished, laws relating to judicial procedure were amended, several political prisoners were released, and the number of seats in parliament was increased.
On the economic front, tax inspections and other bureaucratic obstacles were eased for businesses.
NBCentral Asia observers say these changes would be good if only they were put into practice.
A far-from-independent judiciary means journalists and human rights activists are still prosecuted on charges that are clearly politically motivated. All branches of power centrally controlled by the president control, and all media are state-run.
“In that context, it’s pointless to talk about political or economic reforms,” said Tashpulat Yoldashev, an Uzbek political analyst now based abroad.
Detlev Kraa of the Market Economics and Democracy Development in Eastern Europe group, who attended the event, said the political process in Uzbekistan was not transparent and parliament did not play much of a role.
“Most bills come from the government,” he said. “That means parliament does not play an important role in politics, as it is simply the body that endorses decisions made by the executive.”
Kraa believes public scrutiny is an essential element in an effective parliament.
Jan Dirk Blaauw, a member of the Assembly of the Council of Europe and a consultant on political and economic affairs, says the introduction of a multi-party system in Uzbekistan is a progressive measure, although he believes parliament will continue to be dominated by one party.
Mikhail Vinogradov, who heads the Trend news analysis agency in Russia, came to the forum to find out more about economic reforms and finds the policy of clearing away the obstructions facing small businesses particularly interesting. But he says it is difficult to get to grips with the situation as information is not publicly available.
“It isn’t always possible to give a real assessment of the situation,” he concluded.
Other observers see the fact that the economy is so heavily controlled by the state and isolated from the outside world as a risk. Firms have to contend with corruption and an uneven playing field.
“Uzbekistan’s main achievement is stability – there is no massive social unrest here,” said Christian Wiesenhutter, who heads the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Berlin. “However, stability of this kind may impede development.”
(NBCentralAsia is an IWPR-funded project to create a multilingual news analysis and comment service for Central Asia, drawing on the expertise of a broad range of political observers across the region. The project ran from August 2006 to September 2007, covering all five regional states. With new funding, the service has resumed, covering Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.)
