Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The administration of Bukhara Region has issued an official statement regarding a video circulating on social media that allegedly shows the regional hokim, Botir Zaripov, ordering the demolition of a private kindergarten.

In the video, Zaripov can be heard giving a stern directive to demolish all structures erected without legal documentation: “Pull all the documents for the kindergarten site. If someone doesn’t have them — demolish. No courts, don’t listen to anyone. Tear it down today, with the belongings inside. Bury it, even with people in it. Enough with these court games,” the recording states.

The regional administration clarified that on May 22 of this year, a working group led by the hokim visited State Preschool Institution No. 2 in the city of Bukhara to inspect the building’s condition and the progress of its renovation.

The kindergarten, built in 1961 with a capacity for 140 children, has been declared structurally unsafe. As part of an inventory initiative, a decision was made to carry out major renovations, with appropriate funding allocated from the local budget.

During the site visit, the hokim instructed city officials and relevant agencies to accelerate the renovation work and complete it as quickly as possible. He expressed strong dissatisfaction with the condition of the surrounding area and noted several violations near the preschool facility.

Among the issues identified were an unauthorized and illegal passageway onto the kindergarten grounds, created by the owner of a nearby food establishment, and the absence of a protective barrier near a high-voltage transformer station, posing a direct threat to the safety of children.

According to the administration, the emotionally charged directive to "demolish" referred exclusively to this illegal access point, which had been constructed without permits or legal basis.

Under Presidential Decree No. PP-241 of May 11, 2022, regional hokims bear personal responsibility for the safety of educational institutions, including fencing, video surveillance, fire safety systems, and property protection.

Thus, the hokim’s primary concern was ensuring the safety of children and eliminating potentially hazardous conditions. The interpretation circulating on social media — as if the hokim had ordered the demolition of private kindergartens — is unfounded and misleading.

Following an internal review, the deputy hokim of Bukhara city responsible for this area received an official reprimand. The illegal passage was immediately dismantled. The press service clarified that the video, originally intended for internal use, was released into the public domain without proper authorization.

“We emphasize that the rule of law is strictly upheld in Bukhara Region. No illegal demolitions are permitted. The hokim’s emotional statements were aimed solely at reinforcing discipline and raising accountability among officials,” the official statement reads.

The press service also published video footage from the site on its Telegram channel to clarify the situation and dispel misinformation.