DECEMBER 4 – THE ELECTIONS OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN.. 1
What ideas do political parties advance?. 1
The Messenger of Beauty and Good. 5
DECEMBER 4 – THE ELECTIONS OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
What ideas do political parties advance?
23 days away from the presidential elections in Uzbekistan, we offer our readers the basic ideas being pushed forward by the country’s political parties who have nominated their candidates for the post of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
National revival a priority
The Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival) Democratic Party of Uzbekistan may conventionally be classified as a moderate conservative movement. In the political specter it is a right-wing party. Its parliamentary group in the Legislative Chamber (lower house) of Oliy Majlis (Supreme Assembly) formed a Bloc of Democratic Forces with Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP). Representatives of creative intelligentsia, workers of culture, art and information spheres, patriotically-minded youth and craftspeople make up its electorate.
The party attaches special attention to the issue of national revival, which is understood as the awakening and strengthening of national identity. It comes out for preservation and development of historically-shaped state and public life in compliance with the relevant national traditions, its moral and legal framework embodied in the nation, religion, family, and in support of the ideas of national unity and independence.
In the socio-political sphere the Milliy Tiklanish DPU considers it necessary to consolidate the national statehood, stands in support of traditional democratic institutions, which promote national revival. It supports the idea of cementing the cohesion of the people and all citizens of Uzbekistan irrespective of their ethnicity, religious beliefs, social status and origin.
In the economic sphere the party considers it important to ensure the country’s economic and food independence and stands for securing full support of domestic commodity manufacturers, development of traditional types of national production – craftsmanship and family entrepreneurship. Its priority is development of tourism as an efficient tool for popularization and promotion of national culture and history.
In the social sphere the priority for the Milliy Tiklanish party is protection of the institution of family and women’s and children’s spiritual and physical health, fostering a comprehensively advanced youth, as well as securing information-ideological protection of the society, countering any acts capable of undermining the society’s spiritual and moral foundations.
Pursuing proactive foreign policy aimed at firmly upholding the national interests, extensively disseminating the Uzbek people’s achievements in culture and arts, shaping the Republic’s positive image in the international arena – these are the party’s priorities in the external sphere.
Guarding the interests of property owners
The Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businesspeople – the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP) holds the center right in the political specter and preaches liberal democratic values based on modern democracy, interpreted as a representative democracy, the essence of which rests in the competition among political groups for the voters’ voices, while its major value is human rights and freedoms.
The parliamentary group of this party in the lower chamber of parliament, having won the majority on the results of 2014 general elections, formed the Bloc of Democratic Forces with the Milliy Tiklanish DPU. In compliance with Article 98 of the Constitution of the country, UzLiDeP nominated a candidate for the post of Prime Minister for the first time in Uzbekistan’s history of parliamentarianism.
UzLiDeP electorate is made up of the middle class of property owners, entrepreneurs and businesspeople, farmers and representatives of small businesses and services sector.
The party stands for the priority of the rights and interests of an individual, inviolability of private ownership, liberalization of economy, democratization and modernization of public life and governance, creation of conditions for shaping and promoting the middle class – a basis for a robust civil society; it favors competition and freedom of economic activity.
The party’s priorities in the economic field include diversification of economy, delivery of an environment conducive for the advancement of entrepreneurship and small business, simplification of procedures and price reduction in registering business entities, in customs clearance, as well as all-round and full support for farming enterprises and household rural farms, and enhancement of market relations in the countryside.
UzLiDep comes out for the conception of prerequisites for every person’s self-actualization, for civilized participation of Uzbekistan’s citizens in the international labor market.
Providing for reliable protection of the rights and interests of property owners, entrepreneurs, farmers and businesspeople, expanding the businesses’ access to commercial courts, working out alternative non-judicial dispute resolution measures – these are the priorities of the party in the judicial-legislative field.
In foreign policy the party deems it necessary to create favorable external political conditions for effective implementation of the ongoing democratic reforms in the country. It supports such principles of peaceful cooperation as forestalling the threats to the political sovereignty and inviolability of state borders, use of force or the threat of its use, and advocates adherence to the basic principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
Social equality and social security
Popular democracy, based on the idea of a social state, makes up the foundation of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (PDPU). In the national political specter it holds a leftist position. On the results of the 2014 parliamentary elections the faction of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan proclaimed itself in the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis an opposition in regard to the Bloc of Democratic Forces that had been formed by the Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party of Uzbekistan and the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan. Its major electorate covers part of the population in need of targeted social assistance from the government and society, including the retired and people with disabilities, as well as employees of budgetary organizations in charge of their social protection and representatives of the social sphere.
Provision for social equality and social security, support for low-income families and vulnerable strata of population, preservation and consolidation of the role of the state in different spheres of life are this party’s major ideas.
The PDPU advocates cementing the state with an effective and robust authority, ensuring the protection of interests of pensioners, the disabled and other socially susceptible layers of population, as well as raising the responsibility of local bodies of government and economic administration along with citizens’ self-government bodies for the efficient execution of resolutions in the interests of those categories of populace.
The development of regulated and socially oriented market economy, which secures proficient interaction of market mechanisms and the rules established by the government in the sphere of social policy, fair distribution of economic benefits in favor of low-income groups of people – such are the priorities of the party in the economic field, while in the social sphere they include the pursuance of potent policy in the interests of low-income and socially vulnerable strata of population.
Proactive and consistent external policy directed towards building up constructive relations with other states on the principles of non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit are the priorities of the PDPU in foreign policy.
Justice for every person
The Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (SDPU) holds the left centrist position in the political specter in our country. Its faction in the lower house of parliament, similar to that of the PDPU, proclaimed itself an opposition to the Bloc of Democratic Forces. The idea that social progress boils down to achievement of equality and social justice rests at the foundation of this party’s ideology.
Adolat’s electorate includes engineering-technical and research workers, pedagogues, doctors, employees of budgetary organizations and the services sector.
The major ideas of SDPU include provision of access to social and economic opportunities, justice and solidarity, commitment to a fair civil society and socially oriented market economy.
The party stands in favor of creating a welfare state for all, consolidation of the principles of freedom, equality, social justice, and active participation of the wider public in taking decisions on major issues in the country’s development.
Social orientation of the market economy, modernization and technical renovation of production, transition to innovative development of economy, introduction of advanced technologies into different sectors of economy, and stimulation of broader utilization of renewable sources of energy are Adolat’s priorities in economic advancement.
In the social sphere the party deems it expedient to realize the principle of equal rights and opportunities, to secure decent living conditions to every citizen, and prevent a high level of society’s social stratification on the basis of incomes and access to social services.
Strengthening the principles of openness and transparency in the operation of courts, competitiveness and equality of the sides in trial proceedings, and effective public scrutiny of the activities of law enforcement agencies are the priorities of the party in the judicial sphere.
Adolat SDPU advocates dynamic external political activities aimed at securing peace, stability and sustainable development in the country, implementation of international programs within the framework of achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
economy
Uzbekistan is intending to invest by the end of 2019 nearly 1 billion US dollars for projects on the enhanced processing of cotton fiber and production of finished textile goods
Owing to the favorable investment climate and special attention to the modernization of production and competitive recovery, the textile industry has turned into a leading sector of the national economy. Currently, the sector runs more than 2,500 companies, which employ more than 100,000 people, and manufacture finished products like fabric and cloth, various designs of sewed and knitted products, home textiles and carpets.
Over the last decade, the production of textile goods in Uzbekistan has multiplied 4.3 times, exports have grown fourfold, while the share of finished merchandise in the structure of production has exceeded 65%. In the first years of independence, the exporting capacity of the entire industry was as low as $7 million, while today the volume of supplies of textile products to foreign markets has exceeded $1 billion. Textile goods are exported to more than 60 countries, including novel markets like Brazil, Chile, Croatia and Nigeria.
The progress is backed by integrated reforms aimed at quality changes in the light industry. For example, idle spinning mills with worn out and power-consuming equipment have been replaced by foreign companies and joint ventures with advanced production machinery. Today, most enterprises in the industry have been upgraded, and they have launched the manufacture of competitive export-oriented products that meet international standards.
Measures on enhanced processing of cotton fiber were another important step in the development of the industry. 77 projects totaling $1 billion are scheduled for implementation by the end of 2019. To date, new capacities on the production of dyed yarn have been established on the platform of Asaka Textile Production, compact yarn – at Indorama Kokand Textile, hosiery products – at Jizzakh Grant Textile. The upgrade with advanced technologies has been completed at Uztex Tashkent and Humo Tuqimachi enterprises.
Meanwhile, as part of the program on the further development of textile, garment and knitwear industry for 2017-2021, it is planned to implement 140 projects invested by more than $2.2 billion. It is expected that the investment projects will pave the way for the establishment of textile complexes on the production of finished products with more than 27 thousand new jobs through the implementation of a vertically integrated four-stage scheme of processing basic raw materials.
In addition, it is envisaged to increase the manufacture of textile, garment and knitwear produce 2.2 times by 2021, compared to 2016, and double the exports.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
Society
Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a resolution on the results of the Prime Minister virtual reception’s first month of operation aimed at the elimination of shortcomings in working out the appeals with complaints lodged by the citizens of the country and corporate entities
The resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On the accountability of heads of Ministries and department, economic associations, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, hokims of regions, cities, towns and districts for unconditional execution of the provisions of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the appeals of physical and legal entities” provides a detailed analysis of citizens’ appeals to the bodies of government administration and the Prime Minister’s virtual reception in the context of regions, ministries and departments.
At the same time, the great number of appeals to the Prime Minister’s virtual reception witnesses that many issues remain unresolved or not resolved to the end following the initial appeal, according to experts. Hence the Cabinet of Ministers’ approval of the resolution, in compliance with which, actions are being undertaken aimed at the solution of problems remaining with the government authorities and organizations on working with the citizens’ appeals.
The Prosecutor General’s Office, in particular, is recommended to undertake efficient measures in regards to officials, whose actions provide ground for repeated appeals with complaints.
The heads of government bodies are instructed to carry out personal reception of citizens and entrepreneurs on matters of their interest, to radically revise the interaction with the public and business entities, to raise the level of culture in working with them, as well as to solve all problems and complaints on the ground.
To ensure this, the government authorities will have to radically improve the operation of their sites and mechanism of receiving appeals via Internet and the currently operating ‘help-lines’.
To secure simpler and more convenient use of government services by the citizens, the government authorities are instructed to elaborate proposals on the basis of appeals’ statistics, to transfer relevant government services to an interactive form and present them to the Ministry for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications.
The Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan and hokimiyats of all levels are instructed jointly with the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan to organize in the centers of cities, towns and districts ‘popular receptions’ with the involvement of qualified specialists within the next one month period.
The heads of the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Healthcare, Labor, Higher and Secondary Special Education, Justice, as well as the Central Bank and commercial banks, the Pension Fund, “Uztransgas”, “Uzbekenergo” and “Uzavtosanoat” are entrusted with the task to conduct within one week their Board meetings on the issues of operative and qualitative review of complaints lodged by citizens to the virtual reception. Besides, with the objective of reducing the number of complaints, they should study the reasons behind those appeals with complaints and elaborate necessary amendments to the normative-legislative acts.
And the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan and hokimiyats of the regions and the capital city are instructed to set up within one week special working groups jointly with the “Uztransgas” and “Uzbekenergo” to urgently solve problems of the population prior to the beginning of the winter heating period.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
Theater
Aida Is Back on Stage
Fascinating music, luxurious costumes and magnificent scenery on the stage of Alisher Navoi State Academic Opera and Ballet Grand Theater have accompanied the opening night of Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Aida’. The opera is a part of the ‘gold’ legacy of the world opera classics.
The opera was performed for the last time in May 2010. Six years later, the spectators once again have the opportunity to see one of the best creations of Giuseppe Verdi staged by People’s Artist of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, director Firudin Safarov, People’s Artist, music director and conductor Dilbar Abdurahmanova, Honored Worker of Uzbekistan, art director Zubaidullo Batyrov.
‘Aida’ ranks among Verdi’s best works, so it should be an integral part of the repertoire,” said the People’s Artist of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, director Firudin Safarov. “By the new performance, we wished to once again show the importance of love in people’s lives. Artists, musicians, poets and actors will dedicate their works to it. I have staged more than 60 performances, and each of them traces this topic. The so-called doomed love attaches brightness to ‘Aida’. This is what captivates the audience and draws its interest. For me it is important to convey the idea to the audience, and cause the feelings that accompany the idea. A production is successful only if the audience has something to think about, to share their feelings after the performance.
It is worth adding that the director presented an unusual ending, which motivates to better appreciate and preserve the feeling of love.
The actors do not just perform their role, but show the art of acting. The choir deserves a notion for the atmosphere of that era, the ballet crew – for a variety of action scenes, the orchestra – for a touching, vibrant music that keeps the audience.
“Six years ago, I performed the role of Aida at this theater. However, the present ‘Aida’ is a completely new performance. The cast has remained virtually unchanged, but was renewed with new faces. For example, the role of Radames is still performed by Nemat Sinhabibi, Aida – by Galina Golubkovs and me, the king of Egypt – by Georgiy Dmitriev and Khatam Yuldashev. The newcomers Yanika Bagryanskaya and Feruza Yusupova played the role of Amneris,” said the performer of Aida Maria Polyakova. “Much has been done in three months. We have had daily rehearsals since August, which have resulted in the successful presentation of the opera that involves 100 people.”
The first production of the opera was presented to the audience in 1960 by conductor, People’s Artist Mukhtar Ashrafi, director, honored artist A. Miralimbayeva, art director, honored artist M. Musayev.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
Art
The Messenger of Beauty and Good
Javlon Umarbekov is believed to be one of the classics of Uzbek national fine art. He manifested himself as an extraordinary creative personality while still a student at an art school. The People’s Artist of Uzbekistan, academician has presented a large retrospective exhibition at the Gallery of Fine Arts.
The exhibition celebrates the artist’s 70th birth anniversary and 50 years of his creative activity. The exhibition, which sprawls across the entire second floor of the Gallery, includes his earliest works, such as the monumental painting ‘I Am a Human’ created in the 80s of the last century, and the paintings of recent years.
“Javlon Umarbekov had an enormous impact on the fine art of not only our country, but also the Central Asian region. His creativity is included in the golden fund of world art,” says Doctor of Art Kamola Akilova. “The range of themes, subjects, images, genres is great and varied. Landscapes, still lifes, portraits, historical subjects, as well as conventional compositions reveal different facets of the artist’s thematic preferences. Opposite directions intersect in his works – the West and the East, the national and universal, and the paintings enclose in themselves the ideas of good, humanism, truth, beauty.”
Works of Javlon Umarbekov are bipolar and at the same time always recognizable. A special place in the artist’s creativity occupies the urban theme. Grinders, musicians, vendors, markets, streets, water mills, and other attributes of the old city get reflected in the paintings of the master. Works painted during the creative journeys are radically different. For example, a series of works ‘In Algeria’ created in the late 70s of the last century, also presented at the exhibition, reflects an unusual interpretation of the landscapes seen by the author. The exhibition introduces with each stage of the master’s creative path.
“Javlon Umarbekov caught the main thing for the artist – his area in the arts, the form of embodying his plots,” says the Honored Worker of Arts of Uzbekistan, Vladimir Burmakin. “The canvases are perfect technically and semantically. He can arrange the plot space in the way he sees it. Javlon Umarbekov is focused on himself, which is important for the artist. He clearly knows his capabilities, able to coordinate them, allowing him to carry on his line hard and uncompromising.”
UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan has issued a catalog of works by Javlon Umarbekov, which is presented at the exhibition.
“I am glad to write an introductory article to the album,” said Kamola Akilova. “The artist’s works is a huge amount of material to study, because Javlon Umarbekov reckons among the great artists of Uzbekistan. The works presented in the catalog and the exhibition provide an opportunity to get in touch with the fundamentals that determine the development of the art of our country.”
The artist’s canvases are preserved in many museums around the world and prestigious galleries such as the State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan, the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the Art Gallery of Komatsu in Japan, as well as in the collections of major galleries of Algeria, Austria, Germany, Kuwait and other countries.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
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