Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev is chairing an expanded session of the National Anti-Corruption Council, where he is reviewing progress in corruption prevention and outlining future priorities.

In his speech, the president emphasized that corruption remains "the most serious obstacle" to reforms, eroding public trust in state institutions, the constitution, and the rule of law. He underscored that corruption threatens not only the country’s development but also its security.

Mirziyoyev highlighted that Uzbekistan has established a comprehensive anti-corruption framework, including specialized laws, parliamentary committees, the National Anti-Corruption Council, and a dedicated agency.

One of the notable successes in the fight against corruption, according to the president, has been the reform of land allocation, previously one of the most corruption-prone areas. The shift to an auction-based system has significantly reduced corruption risks.

Another sector with high corruption levels was construction. However, the implementation of the "Transparent Construction" program has led to positive changes. The number of contractors participating in investment programs has grown from under 1,000 to over 4,000, contributing to the construction of 13,500 facilities last year. The digitalization of processes has saved 3.6 trillion soums in budget funds over the past four years.

Addressing recent leadership changes at the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), the president explained that top officials were dismissed due to increased bureaucratic barriers and legal violations in fire safety regulations related to construction permits and building approvals.

Last week, Abdulla Kuldashev stepped down as minister after leading the MES since March 2022. On 25 February, Botir Kudrathodjayev was appointed as the new head of the ministry.