Appointment of ministers in Uzbekistan to be approved by deputies

Amendments to the legislation providing for the procedure for approving member candidates of the Cabinet in the legislative (lower) chamber of the Parliament of Uzbekistan entered into force on April 1.

The amendments were approved by the lower house of Oliy Majlis, approved by the Senate in February and signed by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in mid-March. So far, the parliament, on recommendation of the president, approved only the candidacy of the Prime Minister.

According to experts, approval of the candidacy of ministers will strengthen parliamentary control over activities of the government and ensure a democratic procedure for forming the cabinet of ministers.

Mirziyoyev proposed for the first time the initiative for approving government candidates by deputies at the end of December 2018 during his annual address to both chambers of the country's parliament. In January, the President of Uzbekistan signed a decree on introduction of the practice of approving member candidates of the government and heads of departments in the Parliament on April 1.

In accordance with the amendments, if deputies reject the candidature to the government, the prime minister introduces a new candidature for consideration and approval. In addition, the Prime Minister, together with the members of the government, will submit a quarterly report to the Parliament on the progress in implementing the state program for the relevant year.

A candidate for the post of a member of the Cabinet of Ministers, in reviewing and approving his candidacy, must also submit an action plan that provides for legal, economic, social, organizational-technical measures to achieve targets and objectives for the future, the law states.

In December 2018, the head of state also proposed to abolish the practice of appointing deputy prime ministers as heads of certain departments, and to optimize their number. Mirziyoyev pointed out the need for prompt resolution of problems existing on the ground, which remain outside the government’s view.

A month later, the President of Uzbekistan signed a decree on changing the government structure. In particular, the number of deputy prime ministers in the government of the country was reduced from eight to five, but the prime minister had two advisers. The government today also has 23 ministers and ten heads of state committees.