The Presidential Decree of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to create an environment of zero tolerance for corruption, drastic reduction of corruption factors in State and public administration, and broad public involvement in the process” No.УП-6257 dated on July 6, 2021 (the “Decree No.УП-6257”) entered into force on July 7 of this year.
The Decree No.УП-6257 identifies corruption as one of the most serious threats to State and social development. The Prosecutor General’s Office, the Anti-Corruption Agency (the “Agency”), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service are imposed with obligation to ensure the inevitability of liability for corruption.
The Agency will now maintain a public register of persons found guilty of corruption offences (the “Register”). Persons on the public register are prohibited from:
- Entry into the civil service and awarding of State awards;
- Nominating their candidates for elective and specially appointed posts;
- Membership in public councils and inter-ministerial collegiate bodies attached to State bodies;
- Participation of business entities established by them and (or) with their participation in public procurement and the PPP agreement as a participant, as well as tenders and tenders related to the privatization of public assets;
- Participation in decision-making positions in organizations with more than 50 per cent State participation and in State educational institutions.
In addition, the Anti-Corruption Agency, together with the Public Service Development Agency and other interested departments, will draft the Law “On Declaration of Income and Property of Public Servants” according to which, as of 1 January 2022:
- The income and property of civil servants, heads and deputy heads of organizations with a State share of more than 50 per cent, State enterprises and institutions, their spouses and minor children will be declared obligatorily. Failure to declare is the basis for disqualification from public service and prosecution as established by law;
- State employees are prohibited from opening and owning accounts, holding cash, owning real estate and other property outside the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan (with the exception of civil servants abroad and property acquired before entering the civil service).
The Decree No.УП-6257 also approved the State Anti-Corruption Program to for 2021-2022.