Initiating at the beginning of 2017 the adoption of the Action Strategy on five priority areas for development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021, the President of the country Shavkat Mirziyoyev focused on achieving such a high goal as building, together with people, a new Uzbekistan.

The five directions of the Strategy only at first glance represent five different areas of reforming and modernizing the country. In fact, they are closely interconnected and interdependent. And only the synchronous implementation of the tasks planned for the period until 2021 will ensure the successful achievement of the goals.

In this regard, the principle of democracy is filled with a fundamentally new content underlying the socio-political system of the country. Within the framework of the practical implementation of the strategy, the Head of our state initiated progressive steps to increase the effectiveness of implementation of this principle through reforming the electoral system, increasing the role of representative authorities, strengthening their influence and control over the executive branch.

However, participation in formation of legislative and representative power and the influence of people, through their representatives – deputies, on formation and activities of executive bodies should not be limited to the exercise of democracy.

At the current stage of reform, focused on the creation of a new Uzbekistan, the role of public administration is significantly increasing. In his annual addresses to the Oliy Majlis, the President of the country repeatedly emphasized that people, the society should become the main initiators of reforms, play a decisive role in formation of the national legislation and control over the activities of the executive branch.

In order to ensure an integrated approach to a synchronous, mutually coordinated solution of all the tasks of the Action Strategy by the Head of the state in 2017-2019, a number of important steps were initiated to increase the effectiveness of dialogue with people, to improve the mechanisms of interaction between the state and society in solving the problems of ensuring the country’s prosperity and the wellbeing of its people.

The adoption of the Laws “On trade unions”, “On volunteering”, “On public-private partnerships”, “On guarantees of equal rights and opportunities for women and men”, “On public control”, “On combating corruption” and others contributed to the improvement of the regulatory framework of public administration and increasing the role of civil society institutions in this process.

On the basis of a number of Decrees and Resolutions adopted by the President, practical measures were taken to strengthen the institution of makhalla and family, increase the effectiveness of state youth policy, expand the participation of civil society institutions and citizens directly in the budget process, formulate territorial programs of socio-economic development and public control over their implementation.

However, despite the intensification of activities of many civil society institutions, most of them, especially non-governmental non-profit organizations, as the President of the country rightly noted at the videoconference held on February 11, 2020, continue to work formally and have insufficient impact on development of civic participation and civic initiative.

In this regard, there was an objective need for formation of fundamentally new public institutions and mechanisms to strengthen public control and establish closer interaction between the state and society. The Public Chamber of the Republic of Uzbekistan, created in accordance with the Decree of the President of April 16, 2020, becomes such a public institution.

A qualitatively new representative body – the Public Chamber of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as the regional public chambers being created at the same time, are formed from among the most authoritative citizens who have made a great contribution to development of civil society, the formation of the rule of law and improvement of the national legislation, improving the legal culture of the population, protecting the rights and freedoms citizens, the development of science, sports, culture and economy of Uzbekistan, educating healthy and harmoniously developed generation.

At the same time, the new representative body is endowed with important powers and at the same time procedural mechanisms are created that in practice will ensure the transition of interaction, dialogue between civil society and the state to a new level, which is characterized by a significant increase in the effectiveness of public control and the real impact of society on formation and implementation of public policy in areas of significant public interest.

First, already this year the mechanism of quarterly discussion in the Legislative Chamber (and, accordingly, in the Senate) of the results of the study and analysis by the Public Chamber of issues relevant to the public will be launched. A similar practice is introduced in the Jokargy Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regional and Tashkent city Councils of people’s deputies on issues studied by regional public chambers.

Second, the Public Chamber rises one level with parliament in exercising public control.

Third, the Public Chamber becomes a direct participant in the legislative process in connection with the introduction of a procedure for sending it for preliminary consideration of proposals for introducing amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, draft laws and other regulatory legal acts on the most pressing issues of the country’s socio-economic life, causing special public interest.

Fourth, the endowment of the Public Chamber with coordinating functions in relation to non-governmental non-profit organizations and public councils created under state bodies is important for increasing the effectiveness of public administration.

It is also important that state authorities in the center and at places will be obliged to carry out their activities in close mutual cooperation with the Public Chamber and regional public chambers. Moreover, strict observance of the principles of independence of non-governmental non-profit organizations and non-interference of the state in their activities should be ensured.

Thus, in connection with the creation of the Public Chamber, the formation of mechanisms for a systematic and effective dialogue is unifying, combining the efforts of the state, citizens and civil society institutions aimed at further accelerated and comprehensive development of the country, as well as ensuring the coherence of their social interests. Including ensuring practical and effective cooperation of parliament, government and public institutions in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Solving the relevant tasks fully meets the social interests and vital needs of the permanent electorate of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan. With formation of the Public Chamber, the program priorities of our party directly aimed at creating a system of social democracy in the country directly attracted. Opportunities are opening up for the practical implementation of such programmatic tasks of the party as introduction of mandatory public consultations before adopting issues affecting the most important aspects of the country’s socio-economic life, mandatory public discussion and public examination of draft legislative acts that directly affect the satisfaction of social interests and life needs, the level of targeted social support of the population, including its vulnerable layers.

Summarizing the above, it can be noted that in Uzbekistan the practical implementation of the principle “The initiator of reforms is the society itself”, formulated in the Address of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Oliy Majlis of January 24, 2020, is taking place. Its main content is that the state and society, having common goals in achieving the prosperity of the country and the welfare of its people, are equal partners in achieving these goals through the effective interaction of relevant state and public institutions.

Ulugbek Inoyatov,

Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.