Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – On 2 December 2019, a delegation of Uzbekistan, led by Chairman of the Senate’s Committee of the Oliy Majlis Alisher Kurmanov, met with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger and took part in the Vienna Roundtable on reforms in Uzbekistan Academy organized by the Embassy of our country.

Secretary General Thomas Greminger noted with satisfaction the dynamically developing cooperation of the organization with our country. It was emphasized that over the past three years, a major breakthrough has been achieved in relations between the OSCE and Uzbekistan. The policy of democratic reforms, consistently pursued by the President of Uzbekistan, opens up broad prospects for building up our multifaceted cooperation. The OSCE will remain a reliable partner of Uzbekistan in achieving its goals and is ready to further support the reform course of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, said Thomas Greminger.

He emphasized the importance of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan in the context of further deepening democratic reforms and the development of civil society. The country’s parliament should play a key role in strengthening the foundations of a democratic state based on the rule of law, become a genuine school of democracy, the initiator and main executor of reforms. Thomas Greminger praised the outcome of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia in Tashkent.

A united and strong Central Asia is an important guarantor of joint counteraction to modern security challenges and threats, a guarantee of stable and sustainable development of a vast Asian region, said Thomas Greminger.

It was noted that the adoption of the regulation and a joint statement, which sets out a common vision of the Central Asian countries for further cooperation in the region, indicates the achieved high level of mutual understanding and trust in Central Asia.

In this context, Thomas Greminger emphasized that the regional policy of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, based on the principles of good neighborliness, mutual consideration of interests and reasonable compromises, is worthy of comprehensive study and today it is more in demand in international relations than ever.

During the round table at the Vienna Diplomatic Academy, the Uzbek delegation informed about the election campaign in Uzbekistan. It is noted that the elections are held in completely new conditions under the slogan "New Uzbekistan - new elections."

The meeting participants welcomed the measures taken within the framework of the Action Strategy for 2017 - 2021 to further expand the powers of the parliament in matters of domestic and foreign policy, strengthen parliamentary control over the activities of the executive branch and radically improve the quality of laws adopted by parliament, their impact on the socio-political , socio-economic reforms.

It was noted that a new political landscape is being formed in Uzbekistan, a characteristic feature of which is the creation of an efficiently functioning multi-party parliamentary system.

Today it is the political party that won the most seats in parliament that has the right to propose the candidacy of the prime minister. The parliament of the country has the right to hear the reports of the prime minister and members of the government; it can issue a vote of no confidence to the prime minister and members of the government.

These and other measures have significantly increased the activity of political parties and parliament, intensified the struggle of parties for seats in parliament, and contribute to inter-party competition.