"Wherever freedom is granted, artists are ruining everything" – Ozodbek Nazarbekov

At a press conference hosted by the Agency for Information and Mass Communications, the Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov responded to the ongoing debates surrounding the idea that "the state should not regulate the cultural sphere and the Ministry of Culture should be abolished."

"Such statements are coming from the West. God bless you all, follow the path of your ancestors, and such questions won’t arise. I explained earlier that the cultural sphere is like a bird. You must hold it firmly, there’s no other way. Even if you let it loose, it won’t bring benefit, only destruction. Look at the world; you’re sensible people.

Wherever freedom is granted, artists are ruining everything, causing chaos. That’s why I’m not saying don’t give [freedom]; I’m completely against prohibitions. But the intellect of a free person must match that freedom. Even when there is no one watching, people should be able to control themselves and act accordingly. When that day comes, we’ll confidently grant them freedom, if necessary. Even if someone says, 'No, I don’t want to,' we’ll say, 'No, you must live freely.' But today, we can’t say that the entire society is ready for this, can we? Let’s ask our conscience this question," said the minister.

It’s worth noting that earlier this summer, in one episode of the "Lolazor" podcast, economist Behzod Khoshimov shared his thoughts on which ministries should be kept and which should be abolished to create a compact and efficient state governance system in Uzbekistan. Among the ministries he mentioned for potential closure was the Ministry of Culture.