important guide in defending the interests of the electorate

The People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan has always set itself specific goals for socio-economic development of the country and protecting the interests of its electorate. When developing a new party program and a pre-electoral program, the tasks were outlined to include the country in a number of developed countries with a high standard of living.

A video dialogue, organized by the Central Council of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan on July 9 this year was devoted to discussion “The activities implemented in the area of developing the PDPU pre-election program, as well as fulfilling the tasks outlined in the previous election program of the party”.

The event was attended by leaders and senior officials of the Central Council of the PDPU, members of the faction in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, activists and experts of the party, leaders and senior officials of the regional councils of the party in territorial studios, chairmen of district (city) councils, members of party groups in regional, district and city Kengashes.

The meeting was opened by the Chairman of the Central Council of the Party Ulugbek Inoyatov. In his speech, the party leader spoke about the important tasks included in the Program of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan in 2005, their significance today. As noted, the tasks outlined in the program have been fully implemented on a national scale, and some of the program objectives have lost their relevance. It was also emphasized that the current program of the party did not reflect the priority areas of the Action Strategy for five priority areas of development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021.

Deputy Chairman of the Central Council of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan Mekhroj Darkhonov also addressed the meeting. He elaborated on the party’s program objectives aimed at achieving goals directly related to the country’s public and political life.

He noted that the main priority of the NDPU is to increase the social efficiency in economic reforms, improve the quality of life of low-income segments of the population, pensioners, people with disabilities by effectively using the country’s growing economic potential, creating necessary conditions for increasing their social activity, supporting their participation in establishing public control over the activities of state bodies.

It was noted that the party as its priority goals forwards issues such as raising the living standards of low-income segments of the population, retirees, people with disabilities, ensuring social acceptability of prices for food and services of daily consumption, housing acquisition, using public utilities and medical services, creating equal opportunities in the field of education, cultural and humanitarian sphere, providing employment of the population, supporting people’s aspirations for a better life.

At the meeting, the Deputy Chairman of the Central Council of the Party Maksuda Vorisova considered the performance of the party’s pre-election program in 2014 from a critical point of view. In particular, it was noted that in order to ensure the execution of tasks outlined in the pre-electoral program, over the past years, 2501 issues were considered by party groups, 1450 by standing commissions, and 954 issues at party council sessions. Most of them were resolved on the spot. However, many of the issues included in the program still remain unresolved. Passivity in matters of employment, targeted social protection of low-income strata of the population, ensuring social acceptability of goods and services is allowed. The main reason for this was the lack of specific mechanisms for the execution of tasks. As well as the fact that many of the planned points are far from people’s lives and more are declarative in nature.

The prepared new program was discussed in the territorial studios by the leaders and senior officials of the regional councils of the party, party groups, and experts. The proposed proposals were considered in detail. The opinions of participants were heard.

Lola Bulakova, Chairman of Ishtikhan District Council of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, expressed her views on the party’s program:

- Yes, there are many winning aspects in the party program. However, we should not be attached to populism. If we do not critically approach program documents, will not seriously argue, voters will give us a critical assessment, and we will lose our positions! For example, in the previous pre-election program of the party, and in the current program, serious attention is not paid to the issue of women. Today, the issue of women’s participation only in domestic affairs is irrelevant. In society, the issue of women is not limited to this issue. Therefore, I believe that the party’s program should reflect the problems of increasing the political activity of women and appointing them to senior positions. It is also advisable to bring problems related to the issue of preventing crime among women to the party’s program.

Chairman of Fergana regional council of the party, deputy of the regional Kengash Dilbarkhon Mamajanova expressed her proposals concerning the program:

- The wider the pluralism and the stronger the activity of the party discussions, the more perfect our program will be. We must pay attention to the ideas introduced into our electorate, in the youth environment. Today, a serious problem for young people is employment, and this requires knowledge and qualifications. These issues have recently been debated by young people on social networks.

In politics, especially in the language of modern social democrats, they talk a lot about preventing “deprivation”. That is, everyone should equally be able to use the social conditions created in the country. Why should we not pay due attention to this issue in our program? For example, it is more difficult for children from low-income families to study at universities on the basis of grants compared to children from wealthy families. I think it is necessary from a critical point of view to consider the issue of equalizing their capabilities.

Chairman of Namangan Regional Council of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, deputy of the regional Kengash Ravshan Abdullayev forwarded the following proposals:

- Difficult tests are waiting for us, elections will be held soon. We can make a good program. But if we do not bring it to the voters, if we do not organize the propaganda properly, our work will lose its meaning. In the current process of globalization, young people mostly communicate in social networks.

Recent studies have shown that nearly 20 million citizens use social networks. However, our party is not ready to work in such conditions. We have no place in social networks. There is no group of bloggers, representatives of “popular journalism” in social networks. I think we should increase attention in this direction, as well as to the issue of working with the masses, the modern public relations.

The following opinion was expressed by the Chairman of Termez district council of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, a deputy of the district Kengash, Turabek Zoirov:

- We have heard the report. We support the raised problems. The ineffective work of deputies was criticized. I think that all of this should draw appropriate conclusions, strengthen the work of deputies, improve the system of working with them. The executive secretary system has been introduced, but it is completely ineffective. We were not able to attract highly potential personnel for these positions.

Our deputies are school directors, farmers, doctors. They know their sphere very well. I think they need to assist in the political direction, correctly explain the goals of the party, point out the right path.

The main power of our party is deputies. Consequently, we must work efficiently with this great force. It is necessary to openly admit that there is a complete disunity of the party and deputies at places. My proposal is to strengthen the work of the party with deputies.

At the meeting held in the spirit of interesting controversies and exchange of views, experienced workers of regional councils expressed their proposals on the draft program of the party. It was noted that in the previous pre-election programs of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan no attention was paid to issues of women and youth. These shortcomings are repeated in the program of this year.

At the meeting full of opinions, disputes and constructive dialogues, information was presented on the work carried out in the past period, it was noted that the program should be well developed taking into account the opinions, hopes and problems of citizens, incorporate important ideas related to people’s problems.

Experts made a number of proposals on targeted social protection of low-income families, providing able-bodied citizens with stable jobs with decent wages, improving the provision of high-quality medical services to the population, forming a democratic rule of law and an open civil society, which should be reflected in the party’s 2019 pre-electoral program.

At the meeting, each item of the draft pre-election program was presented for discussion by experts and political scientists. In it, as a basis of the political position of the party, priority directions of social development are defined. The main goal is to include Uzbekistan until 2030 among the countries with an average level of development of the population’s life by ensuring stable economic development.

The party believes that in order to achieve this goal in the near future, it is necessary to proceed from social and economic interests of low-income groups in need of social protection and social assistance. In this direction, the party in its pre-election program outlined a number of priorities and goals, which, above all, will serve to improve the living standards of low-income families, pensioners and people with disabilities.

During the discussions on the basis of life examples, the significance of the tasks outlined in the pre-election program was analyzed, to the extent that they reflect the interests of the electorate. It was emphasized that in order to achieve social acceptability of housing and communal services, the party proposes to implement a number of important activities until 2024. Thus, it is recommended to fully provide housing fund with electricity, gas, and water meters at the expense of utilities organizations, transfer all measuring instruments to the balance of utilities suppliers, introduce a system for their maintenance, repair and verification, as well as state standardization every 4 years by the organizations providing public service.

At the videoconference, senior officials of local councils gave a critical assessment of the work on development and implementation of propaganda and campaigning technologies in the electoral process, noted the lack of methodological manuals for improving the knowledge and skills of candidates for deputies, forwarded by the party. In addition, passivity in the effective use of social networks is allowed, the main tool for promoting the party’s ideas is still the press and television, primary party organizations do not have the means and materials of campaigning.

Upcoming plans were outlined on the basis of suggestions and recommendations made. Issues raised during the discussion were deeply analyzed, tasks were identified for eliminating the existing problems and shortcomings.

Laziza SHEROVA,

Responsible Officer of the Press Service of the

Central Council of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan.