“If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher’s stone”, said Benjamin Franklin, a famous American scientist and statesman. Our nation’s wisdom, which has endured many trials for thousands of years, says: “He who spares grain gets grain, and he who spares bread gets bread”.

Thrift, modesty, in a word, the value of these words, which indicate how much the stone of economic culture weighs, has increased even more today. In particular, in the current conditions, complex processes, the consequences of which are challenging to predict worldwide, severely impact the economy. It is increasingly difficult for every state and society to find, accumulate, and increase funds from the budget efficiency, economy, and accuracy, which are more relevant than ever.

We say so, but we cannot deny that there are still cases where, paradoxically, the inappropriate spending of budget funds has become an “issue of the day” from time to time.

Unfortunately, situations like when a state organization financed from the budget spent several hundred million UZS on a single lunch for the participants of an international event cannot be counted.

Suppose you hear about another organization’s budget for creating an online platform. In that case, the fact that the government has allocated the funds to fly and the authorities are buying expensive cars is causing a rightful protest in the public. The statistics about the violations of the law on misuse of budget funds, looting, deficit, and embezzlement, as well as the officials held responsible for these crimes, are not so encouraging.

When it comes to state budget funds, which are the lot of the many, that is, to improve the well-being of the population, the economic and social spheres, and the future of the growing generation, irresponsibility is unacceptable.

There is change, but there is little trust

Our Constitution, which was renewed last year, created guarantees for the active participation of citizens and civil society institutions in forming the state budget, determining its revenue and expenditure components, ensuring its implementation, and public control.

According to the data, as of January this year, about 30,000 budget organizations and state enterprises are in the country, and measures are being taken to ensure transparency of their expenses. At the same time, starting from 2019, citizens are directly participating in distributing budget funds. As a result, at least 10% of the additional resources of district (city) budgets are formed based on public opinion.

With the Law on the State Budget adopted in 2020, for the first time, it was established that the chambers of the Oliy Majlis will approve the expenses of the republican budget in terms of ministries and agencies and the costs of local budgets by the regional Councils of People’s Deputies. The types of income directly related to the activities of local state authorities and left entirely at the disposal of local budgets have been expanded.

Starting this year, all expenditures made from state funds and foreign debt funds are reflected in the consolidated state budget, and the budget coverage and openness level have been strengthened. Accounting of the general fiscal balance has been established in accordance with international standards. In the renewed Tax Code, the responsibility of the state tax service authorities for excessive tax collection has been strengthened, and the procedures for calculating and paying taxes have been simplified.

However, despite the fact that such a transparent system is being created, it is surprising that the cases of illegal spending of budget funds are increasing instead of decreasing. It is painful and regrettable that we often hear news about the looting of budget funds by officials in construction, education, medicine, and other fields.

What is the position of deputies and activists of the People’s Democratic Party on this issue?

What proposals and initiatives are there in the party’s election program?

See, the one who doesn’t have a backache eats bread

Robiya KAZIMOVA,

Chairperson of the PDPU Bukhara City Council:

– Citizens have the right to participate in the formation of the budget, to know how and where the money collected mainly from taxes is spent, and if necessary, to control it.

Let’s say that not so long ago, our citizens who raised the need to bring drinking water to the neighborhood, improve internal roads, or build a polyclinic or a school received the answer from the officials: “We will do it if the state allocates money”. The problem bothering many people in that mahalla had not been solved for years.

The situation improved after the constitutional principle related to implementing the procedures for the formation and execution of the state budget based on the principles of openness and transparency was introduced. First, the procedure for citizens’ participation in the budget process appeared. Through “Participatory Budgeting”, it was possible to include local social problems in the budget and solve them quickly.

However, contrary to these positive changes, it is also a bitter truth that some budget organizations and state enterprises still spend the available funds without purpose and make unnecessary purchases.

Our people say, “See, the one who doesn’t have a backache eats bread”. In the same way, the fact that the management staff of an organization or enterprise financed based on the budget often loots funds, as I said above, forgets about savings – this is now a matter related to their financial and legal culture and conscience.

The People’s Democratic Party considers social policy the fundamental basis of state development and favors increasing responsibility for ineffective and purposeless use of state budget funds. The goal is to use every UZS for the benefit of the people.

There are many social problems in our society. Reducing unemployment and poverty, increasing the protection of the interests of people with disabilities, the elderly, women, and youth, building modern educational and medical institutions, and eliminating accumulated shortcomings in communal services have not lost their relevance. To put it mildly, it is unforgivable to cast an evil eye on people’s money – budget resources at such a time.

It is necessary to put an end to giving expensive gifts from the state budget

Nilufar ABDUMAJIDOVA,

Chairperson of the Norin District Council of PDPU:

– The state budget is not an inexhaustible reserve. The entire process, from the formation of the budget funds to their spending, requires clockwork accuracy, legal order, discipline, and honesty. Every official should feel this deeply. Otherwise, rather than the interests of the state and the people, it is inevitable that one’s interests will prevail in work activities, which will inevitably lead to several violations of the law.

In addition to strengthening responsibility in this direction, our party also proposes a legal ban on giving expensive gifts at the expense of the state budget.

There is no need to hide that in some places, the custom of sending valuable gifts to officials of various levels on the occasion of holidays, weddings, birthdays, or other important dates when going on business trips, entertaining guests with tables full of treats, and ending this hospitality with so-called “insignificant” gifts is still preserved.

Giving or receiving such gifts is considered a conflict of interest and corruption. The value of a free gift must not necessarily create an obligation that affects the unbiased decision-making of a state civil servant.

If we look at foreign experience, let’s say that the U.S. Department of State annually publishes a list of gifts in the Federal Register. A gift to an official at any level from a citizen of his country is considered a bribe if the value exceeds $50. The value of gifts to senators cannot exceed $300 per year, and gifts with a total value of more than $75 are declared.

In Singapore, ministers and family members can only receive gifts worth less than $32. Ministers can buy a more significant amount from the state from their accounts. Government of Canada employees are not permitted to accept any gifts of monetary value.

There are many reports worldwide about senior officials who were forced to resign because they were ashamed to buy chocolates from the budget and ministry-department funds and take their children to school in the company car.

As we can see, the goal of such a strict and drastic approach to receiving or presenting expensive gifts is to prevent corruption and cases of dusting the state treasury with the interference of personal interests.

The current period requires the economical use of budget funds. The development of the country, the improvement of the state and society, and the effectiveness of reforms directly depend on them. In this regard, strengthening control and responsibility over the purposeful and rational spending of budget funds is essential and urgent.

Farida MAHKAMOVA,

Correspondent of “O‘zbekiston Ovozi” (Voice of Uzbekistan).

«O‘zbekiston Ovozi», 28.08.2023, No.34-35