Direct Speech, EU – CIS, Uzbekistan

On his speech, he drew attention on the following issues:

“Dear participants of the session!

Today, the time itself puts forward before all of us, primarily, before me as a President of Uzbekistan, the new and very responsible tasks. I consider it appropriate to briefly inform you today in our session about these major tasks.

First, we will steadfastly, resolutely and consistently continue the broad-scale political, economic and social reforms started by our dear First President Islam Abdughanievich Karimov.

This path is a solid foundation of building a free, democratic, humane state, establishing a civil society, raising the economic might of our Homeland and ensuring its further progress.

As the President of the country, I consider it to be my major duty and task to strictly and unconditionally comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, ensure the rule of law, conduct the internal and foreign policy, which ensures the rights and freedoms of citizens.

Second, I consider it my priority task to preserve as an apple of an eye and strengthen the interethnic and civil accord, the atmosphere of mutual respect, mercy and kindness reigning in our country.

It is well-known that the freedom of conscience and religion and the rights of representatives of various nationalities are equally guaranteed and the atmosphere of religious tolerance is being consolidated in our country. At present, the representatives of more than 130 nationalities and ethnicities are living in Uzbekistan in mutual harmony. The religious organizations belonging to 16 confessions are freely functioning.

Today, I deem it necessary to once again underscore the very idea, which is important from the principle point of view: Uzbekistan and its magnanimous people are consistently and solidly upholding the position of conducting a peaceful policy and implementing the principles of respectful approach to national and universal values.

Third, we consider it our primary task to further and broadly solidify the feeling of justice in our life – the very feeling, which has been revered and prioritized over anything by our people for centuries.

We should take the strict measures in our society in terms of struggling against corruption, various crimes and other cases of infringement of law, not allowing them to happen, as well as ensuring in practice the provisions of law that stipulate the inevitability of punishment of crime.

Today, the pivotal appeal, namely “Our children must be stronger, more knowledgeable, smarter and certainly happier than us!” took a solid place in the minds and hearts of each of us, the parents and broad public. At present, the youth up to 30 years of age make up 32 percent of our country’s population, or 10 million people. The fact that our youth is turning into a decisive force of our today and tomorrow capable of rightfully assuming the responsibility for the future of our Homeland makes all of us proud and pleased.

Fourth, the implementation of the important principle and priority task as ensuring the steady growth of our economy will remain as a strategic objective for me as head of the state.

Above all, we should accelerate the work started on further deepening the reforming and liberalization of economy, structural changing its branches and sectors. Such issues as modernizing the sectors and areas, increasing the level of their competitiveness and developing their export potential should constantly be in the focus of our attention.

For this purpose, we need to more actively attract the foreign investments, advanced technologies and information-communication systems to all spheres.

On this particular basis we should increase the gross domestic product of our country over two-fold by 2030.

Therefore, from now on putting obstacles to the development of entrepreneurship will be assessed as putting obstacles to the policy of state and the policy of President.

Fifth, the efficiency of the economic reforms and social changes which we are accomplishing is measured, first of all, to what extent they are affecting the material state, well-being and enhancement of the quality of the living standards of population.

For this purpose, we have elaborated the concrete measures to gradually increase the wages, pensions, allowances and stipends and they will certainly be implemented.

Sixth, I consider it the most important and priority task for me to take the concrete measures on constantly conversing with people, implementing their lawful demands, appeals and proposals.

You are well aware that we have announced 2017 in our country as “The Year of Dialogue with People and the Human Interests”.

However, all of us well understand that the dialogue with people, talking to them, living with their problems and concerns and ensuring the human interests is not a one-year work for us.

Starting from 2017 the system will be introduced, according to which, the governors and mayors of all levels, the heads of prosecutor’s office and interior bodies will be reporting to the people”.