Uzbekistan: President denied the elections of Administrations’ heads to population
The population will not participate in the elections of hokims. This key idea was voiced on March 19 by the President Mirziyoev at an extraordinary session of the Regional Kengash [Council] of people’s deputies of Tashkent. According to the leader of the country, “the introduction of elections into an environment, for which society is not ready, is a betrayal”. He noted that “even the chairman of the makhalla cannot be fairly elected”.
The online media Gazeta.uz, without commenting on this opinion, cites the facts of statements to the contrary. For the first time, in December 2016, Shavkat Mirziyoev came up with a proposal to make the post of hokims elective. In August 2017, he announced his readiness “right now” to introduce a system of popular election of hokims.
“I want it. If the [hokim] is elected by the people, and he acts in the interests of the people, then who else will the President need? But! Are the voters and the electorate ready for this? Will the level of the elected hokim correspond to the realities of our time? That is the question!” noted Shavkat Mirziyoev.
In September 2020, the head of state emphasized again that “hokims should be elected by the people”.
It’s noteworthy that not everyone shares the new views of Mirziyoev. In February, MP Rasul Kusherbayev said that he didn’t agree with the opinion that the people were not ready for the elections of hokims.
“Those, who give permission, are not ready,” he summed up.
One of the reasons for such a sharp turn by Mirziyoev in the assessment of the electorate lies in the fear of the activity of citizens who are capable of bringing charges against the authorities in their inability to solve socio-economic problems in the regions.
At the suggestion of the President, a bill was considered at the Parliament to introduce criminal liability for disobeying the demands of the authorities and inciting unrest.
According to experts, the authorities cannot cope with large-scale corruption, which aggravates the consequences of the pandemic. The change in the tone of the President’s speeches is mainly due to the fear of any manifestations of people’s dissatisfaction.
