Senate Approves Law to Improve the Budget Process in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — At a plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, lawmakers considered and approved the Law “On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Connection with the Improvement of the Budget Process.”

Senators noted that the law is aimed at increasing the transparency of budget fund allocation, strengthening public oversight over their targeted use, and expanding opportunities for citizen participation in the budget process. The document also provides for the expansion of powers of heads of budgetary organizations and ensures their financial independence.

The law introduces new types of reporting to enhance the efficiency of budget fund utilization. The structure of the annual report on the execution of the State Budget will now include reports on the execution of off-budget funds of budgetary organizations, as well as data on public debt.

District and city khokimiyats are required to publish quarterly on their official websites and on the “Open Budget” information portal details on the financing of initiatives formed on the basis of public opinion. In addition, the committees of the Legislative Chamber will introduce the practice of hearing reports on the achievement of target indicators for the use of budget funds at the end of each quarter.

The document stipulates that the annual report on the execution of the consolidated budget, as well as reports on the semiannual execution of the State Budget and the budgets of state target funds, are to be approved by a resolution of the Legislative Chamber. Reports for the first quarter and for nine months will be adopted by decision of the relevant committee. The practice of making more than four amendments per year to expenditure estimates by budgetary organizations and recipients of budget funds is abolished.

Senators emphasized that the law expands opportunities for public participation in the budget process, increases the transparency of budget fund allocation, and strengthens public control over their targeted use.

Following the discussion, the law was approved by the Senate.