“Demanding drivers money is a moral turpitude for traffic officers” – Zokirjon Almatov

Today, on April 29, at the Palace of Culture of the Interior Ministry, Colonel-General Zokirjon Almatov met with the personnel of the Tashkent city Traffic Safety Department under the General Directorate of Internal Affairs.

According to Kun.uz correspondent who attended the meeting, during the event, General Almatov made comments on a number of issues regarding not only the traffic safety department, but also the whole internal affairs system.

“Our people, our president rely on internal affairs officers and we have to live up for this trust. We have had difficult times in the early years of independence. There was shortage of food, and organized crime intensified. There were dozens of murder and hundreds of theft and violation cases each day. Numerous efforts have been made to combat crime, and many of our employees have sacrificed their lives on this path.

At that time, several groups emerged masking political freedom, constituted parties and began alluring people to the rally. There were concrete political forces behind them and there was a risk of civil war as a result of their actions. It should be remembered, such a war broke out in Tajikistan. I still do not forget – more than seventy people, including elderly people and children were taken out of a well in one of the neighboring regions of Tajikistan.

There are traffic safety department employees here, our common goal is to keep the tranquility of our people. Of course, your job is difficult, perhaps your salary is not enough. But avoid bribery and corruption. Anyone among you who stops a driver and demands bribe is a betrayal. There are attempts to publicly disgrace you, upload the recorded videos on the Internet with deliberate attempts to bribe. We will fight against them. Sooner, each of you will be having body-cameras, which will serve your social security. Also, the issue of increasing your wages is being considered. But bribery is not forgiven, and that's a great shame!” Zokirjon Almatov said.

At the end of the event, a number of officers, who accomplished special achievements in labor activities, were awarded with ministerial certificates.