President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev yesterday delivered his address to the parliament at the Congress Hall, where he touched upon the tasks and policy reforms for the year 2021. Highlights:

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in his address to the parliament today proposed to declare the year 2021 as the Year of Supporting the Youth and Improving The Public Health.

From January 1, 2021, the Fergana Province Police Department will begin to use drones to record offenses, the department said. With the help of unmanned aerial vehicles, it is planned to register such violations of speed limit, traffic signals, and giving way to pedestrian.

The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan is launching a new project in the field of solar energy - "Phase II of the Sherabad Solar Photovoltaic Station (FES) Project" (Sherabad II).

On December 28, a video circulated on social networks showing how residents of Kokand city blocked the road leading to the city's mayor’s office. The author of the footage stated that the women were protesting over the gas and electricity cuts.

The Cabinet of Ministers issued the Measures for Further Development of Open Data in the Republic of Uzbekistan Resolution, Norma reported.

The total debt of Uzbekistan electricity consumers has reached 3.5 trillion soums, (US$ 330 million), said Jahongir Obidzhonov, first deputy chairman of Regional Electric Networks.

On December 27, residents of the Obi Hayot mahalla in Muzrabad district of Surkhandarya province blocked a road and burned car tires in a sign of discontent due to the lack of electricity. A footage of surfaced on social networks that the action took place in front of Headquarters of the 2nd sector (every city and town are divided into 4 sectors between tax, prosecutor, police and customs authorities, with these responsible for the development of the sector).

On Tuesday, December 29, at 11:00, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will adeliver an address to the Oliy Majlis at the International Congress Center, the presidential press service said.

On December 26, at a regular meeting of the Legislative Chamber, the MPs considered in the first reading the State Security Office of the President of Uzbekistan Bill.

The National Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2021-2025 is being developed by the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan with the involvement of international organizations, the agency said on its website. Civil society institutions can also contribute to the discussion.

The Anti-Corruption Agency has posted for discussion a draft bill amending the Anti-Corruption Law. The draft proposes to amend article 28 of the law, according to which the state provides social and legal protection not only to whistleblowers, but also to their close relatives.

The Anti-Corruption Agency sent a request and began to study the situation with public procurement in the Jizzakh province, which bloggers and the media reported on the eve, the agency's press service said.

On December 25, the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Bill introducing punishment for disseminating false information into Law. While, the Law abolishes imprisonment for libel and insult. The Bill was passed by the Legislative Chamber on December 15 and approved by the Senate on December 19. It took effect immediately, on December 26.

On December 26, the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the newly commissioned Sergeli metro line. “Despite the difficult situation caused by the pandemic, the work in our country did not stop. Major projects are being launched one after another. This year, on the eve of Independence Day, the phase I of the elevated metro was commissioned. And on these pre-holiday days, another important link in the new transport system, the Sergeli line, was commissioned,” the presidential press service said.

Uzbekistan may purchase one of three Indian vaccines, the Indian Ambassador Manish Prabhat said on Uzbekistan 24. The Indian Medical Research Council is working on three vaccines, he said. The first, manufactured by Bharat Biotech, is in its third stage of clinical trials. The second vaccine was developed by the Serum Institute and the third by Zydus Cadila, both in the second phase of trials.

Uzbekistan has resumed gas supply to Khujand city in Tajikistan. Recently was held the supplies resuming ceremony, which was attended by the authorities of Sughd province, heads of supplying companies, local and foreign journalists.

FAO Representation in Uzbekistan, together with the Association of Uzbekistan Beekeepers, held a meeting to discuss an innovative information exchange system that is being designed within the framework of the FAO Technical Cooperation Program “Support to sustainable apiculture development”.

Uzbekistan is expanding cooperation with UN’s three agencies. The decision was signed by the head of state on December 15, the Norma said.

The issuance of ID-cards, which will replace the internal passport of an Uzbekistan citizen, will commence throughout the country on January 4, the first business day of 2021, the Colonel Ulugbek Mirzakambarov, the chief of the Migration and Citizenship Department of the Tashkent Police department.