European Parliament: European Union-Uzbekistan Friendship Group established

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - On 29 April 2021, the inauguration of the European Union-Uzbekistan Friendship Group, established in the European Parliament, was held in the format of a video conference.

The event was attended by deputies of the European Parliament Richard Czarnecki, Fulvio Martushello, Adrian Vasquez Lazara and others, Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service Luc Devin, representatives of European analytical and business circles, as well as the media.

From the Uzbek side, the First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis Sodik Safoev, the First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis Akmal Saidov and the Chairman of the Committee on Interethnic Relations and Friendly Relations with Foreign Countries under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan Rustambek Kurbanov, as well as all members of the group on cooperation of the Parliament of Uzbekistan with the European Parliament.

First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis Sodik Safoev noted that the establishment of the EU-Uzbekistan Friendship Group is a historic event in Uzbek-European relations and this structure, first created in the European Parliament, will become a “bridge” between the two sides.

Speakers, noting the development of cooperation between the EU and Uzbekistan, stressed that the creation of the EU-Uzbekistan Friendship Group in the European Parliament will serve to build up relations, establish a high-level dialogue between representatives of political and business circles, as well as civil society.

The founders of this Group are Richard Czarnecki (Poland), Fulvio Martushello (Italy), Adrian Vasquez Lazara (Spain), Atije Aliyeva-Veli (Bulgaria), Thierry Mariani (France), Tatiana Zhdanoka (Latvia), Iuliu Winkler (Romania) and Niklas Ninas (Germany).

MEP Richard Czarnecki became the Chairman of the Group, and his political adviser Ipek Tekdemir became the Secretary General.

MEP Richard Czarnecki highly appreciated the ongoing reforms in our country, noted that the creation of the EU-Uzbekistan Friendship Group is an important milestone in relations between the European Union and Uzbekistan.

The European side noted that Uzbekistan is open to closer international cooperation, conditions have been created for investment and economic growth. In particular, there is a significant increase in the interest of European investors in our state. The country has the potential to become one of the strongest economies in the post-Soviet space.

It was noted that the Uzbekistan-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee is always ready to develop joint plans with the newly established friendship group and cooperate in this direction.

The receipt by Uzbekistan of the status of a beneficiary country of the GSP + system is a recognition of the reforms carried out in the republic, including those aimed at improving the business climate.