On Dec. 5 in Yangiyul city of Tashkent province President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made a speech in the meeting of local deputies' council:
"In Yangiyul city we will build a total of twelve 7-storey houses this year alone. Do you believe the money to build these houses came from the sky? You probably saw the 7-storey affordable houses in Surkhandarya and Karakalpakstan on television, they did not fall from heaven. One should find money to be able to build quality houses and sell them thorugh a transparent process to those who need."
“Today I met many businesspeople. I looked straight into their eyes. They are kind of hesitating whether to believe or not to believe in reforms. They said they believed in me, but added that there's a lot of bureaucracy, red tape at lower levels, with 17 signatures required to get a plot of land. This is scandalous. Executives must win people's trust, not the president’s! People should be satisfied by you, not me!”
“Any issue raised by an entrepreneur should be studied and resolved. Whether it is business registration, connecting to utilities, getting loans, tax, construction, or illegal intervention by government officials, it should be solved only in favor of an entrepreneur, with the only objective – creating jobs, jobs and jobs.”
“Secondly, in each district, you will set up e-trading of land plots, with no 17 signatures required. There are plenty of people who want to do business in Tashkent province. There are a lot of opportunities in Tashkent province. but, with bureaucracy, we will never develop. We, the government officials including myself, have to work really hard to make difference for the people.”
“You probably watched on television, there are so many people with disabilities in Tashkent province as well. For 25 years we hadn’t treated them as human beings, but they are. They were born to live. I understand everything can not be achieved overnight. But we are providing conditions for this, so why aren’t you doing your part? Only entrepreneurs, businesses are able make difference, make wealth, and create jobs. I can have a large plant built in Charvak, this will bring 5,000 jobs, but we need millions of them.”
"$ 250 million, this money that has been provided to the province but it is not being drawn. Do not take this money for granted. Getting funds, paying salaries is a hard task. Today, when I went to the hospital, I asked myself: are the people happy with the state of affairs? I saw people (patients - ed.) lying on the bed with many clothes on, in a very cold ward, which was meant to be a healing room. The woman I spoke to lost her two children in one year, I felt very sorry for her (Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed executives to give her an apartment). It was very hard to hear what she had to say, but I had to, because this is my job.”
“Why do you think I am personally visiting those places? Don’t think that I have plenty of time, I do this to be an example for other dishonorable executives to do the same. We need to understand once for all that we have very difficult tasks ahead of us. We won't able to achieve them through “window dressing”,” turning a blind eye, we have to solve problems straightforwardly, as they are. In 2017, the Uzbek people had a slight hope, confidence in our promises. I will tell you one thing, only those (executives) who are ready to fight for our cause will succeed, others will have to go.”
“Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov, Chairman of the Tax Committee Botirjon Parpiyev, First Deputy Province Governor Odilhan Rustamov, you have to within two weeks study the reasons for failure to fulfill the local tax revenues plans in Buka, Bekabad, Upper Chirchik, Yangiyul districts, and Angren and Bekabad cities in 2017. And prepare measures to rectify this situation.”
"It is required to develop a road map for each of the 369 investment projects totaling 6.8 trillion soums for 2018-2019. Also we have big projects worth $ 4 billion for Tashkent province alone for one year. MPs should wake up, shake up a little bit. If you don’t, things won’t change in our society. Who is a deputy? Representative of the people. Who is supposed to do this job? A person who loves his country.”
“Tashkent province has truly a lot of opportunities. The water is there, but nobody cares about water. If we install light and high quality composite material irrigation flumes produced jointly with Russia everywhere in Tashkent province, we will produce 5 times more than today.”
"We have issued a decree on Charvak area, the only place in Uzbekistan that has facilities for recreation in four seasons. We will build motels and hotels. But Mr. Parpiev, how are the things in terms of tax revenues in Bostanlik district (Where Charvak area is located)? Not enough! For this reason, sack the tax chief of the Bostanlik district. You will report to me tomorrow about the district chief of police and prosecutor. In Bostanlik we need a man who loves his country."
"Of course, we have to find our place in the world community. But the president on his own is not capable to achieve it. The president may strive, he runs politics. We can achieve it only if we unite. Enhancing Uzbekistan's reputation is not an easy task. Within just one year, the US president called me, this means something. So, tell me when will we change?"
"Abdulla Nigmatovich (Aripov) will soon visit Tajikistan and discuss the upcoming visit. We will sign serious accords, open railroads and connect electricity, with some other matters on the table. We have to have good ties with our neighbours. Everyone should know that. This is not easy. We need to melt 20 years of ice."
"Cotton brings $ 1.2 billion of revenues, but that is not much, and the industry is organized in a way that requires a lot of labor, and is detrimental for Uzbekistan’s reputation. The Tashkent province on its own is capable to export overUS$ 500 million worth of fruits and vegetables, according to my own estimates. We are coming to these days, but we have to work really hard. The governors and mayors won’t deal with cotton growing and harvesting. They will from now on handle other social matters, as education, healthcare and etc.. We will grow cotton by cluster system. This year there will be clusters in four districts of the province."
"Now there are some business people who keep their money abroad. Now I want to say loud and wide: so that everyone may hear. I will not allow anyone inspect (check) those who will invest money in Uzbekistan. Bring your money back. Build, plants, factories, clusters. Whatever the amount, old times are now gone, no one will investigate on you. Let bygones be bygones. Bring your money back. Create jobs for our fellow citizens.”
