Government bodies buying expensive smartphones amid growing public debt and rising inflation

Several state organizations in Uzbekistan have purchased smartphones from Apple and Samsung in recent months.

It is reported that the Samarkand Regional Prosecutor's Office on December 28, 2023, purchased 21 iPhone 14 Pro Max phones with a memory of 1 TB, each priced at nearly 20 million UZS. A total of 419.98 million UZS was spent on these purchases. Additionally, one more iPhone 14 Pro Max 1 TB was acquired for 25.3 million UZS.

Information provided by the Bureau of Mandatory Enforcement indicates that the regional prosecutor's office has a debt of 10.5 billion UZS related to compensation for damage caused by criminal activity.

According to Gazeta.uz, several other state organizations have purchased or are in the process of purchasing the following mobile phones:

Dehqonobod District Medical Association in the Kashkadarya Region - iPhone 14 Pro Max 256 GB for 14.4 million UZS (December 2023);

Kashkadarya Regional Eye Hospital - two Galaxy S23 Ultra 512 GB smartphones for 24.7 million UZS (December);

Media Center under the President's Press Service - two iPhone 15 Pro Max Natural Titanium 1 TB smartphones + Apple AirPods 3 wireless earbuds for 45.4 million UZS (February), two iPhone 15 Pro Max 1 TB Black Titanium for 39.57 million UZS (January), two iPhone 15 Pro Max 1 TB Black Titanium for 40 million UZS (January), (the last two lots in italics were canceled or in the process of cancellation);

Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA) - 5 iPhone 14 Pro 128 GB Space Black for 69.7 million UZS (June 2023, in "execution" phase);

Cinematography Agency — one Galaxy S22 Ultra 256 GB for 10 million UZS (December), two Galaxy S22 Ultra 256 GB for 19.8 million UZS (December) and one iPhone 15 Pro 256 GB Natural Titanium for 15.8 million UZS (December);

The Republic Spirituality Promotion Center Tashkent Regional Department – two iPhone 15 Pro Max 1 TB for 51 million UZS (December);

Khorezm Regional "Youth Notebook" Foundation (a notebook for youth needing social, economic, legal, and other types of aid who want to receive such aid) – one iPhone 15 Pro Max 256 GB and DJI Osmo Mobile 6 stabilizer for 16.9 million UZS (March);

Surkhandarya Regional Research Institute of High Fiber Cotton - two iPhone 15 Pro Max 256 GB for 30.66 million UZS (March);

Bukhara regional administration - one iPhone 14 Pro Max for 18 million UZS (January);

Central State Archive of Scientific-Technical and Medical Documents - one iPhone 15 Pro Max 256 GB Blue Titanium for 17.1 million UZS (January);

Burchmulla State Forestry in Tashkent Region - one iPhone 14 Pro for 17.8 million UZS (as of June 2023, status "being implemented").