SENATE CONVENES FOR GENERAL SESSION

15 issues on the agenda, including five laws, have been considered at the eighth plenary session of the Senate of Oliy Majlis held in Tashkent.

The senators started their work with a review of the question on the State Budget of the Republic and the budgets of the State trust funds and the main guidelines of the tax and budget policies for the year 2017.

The principal financial document of the country attached special attention to conducting an active investment policy aimed at carrying out deeper structural transformations and development of engineering, road and transport infrastructure, as well as improvement of inter-budgetary relations through boosting the revenue base of the regions.

The main guidelines of the tax policy envisage further reduction of the overall tax burden on the economy of the country from 20.2% this year down to 18.9% of gross domestic product, improvement in the tax administration by ensuring its transparency, as well as comprehensive support of small businesses and private entrepreneurship. It is proposed to maintain the basic tax rate and other mandatory dues and payments with the aim to secure stability.

The social orientation of the country’s fiscal policy remains unchanged, and it provides for a further increase in the level of revenues and living standard of population through raising the salaries and wages of budget organizations’ employees, pensions, allowances and scholarships in amounts outstripping the rate of inflation, which will boost the population’s purchasing capacity. Social expenditures in 2017 will amount to 59.7% of the overall State budget expenses.

The senators approved the Budget report and approved the Law “On the introduction of amendments and addenda to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in connection with the adoption of main guidelines of the state tax and budget policies for 2017”.

The parliamentarians reviewed and approved the Population Employment Program for 2017. It provides for ensuring 389.3 thousand people with permanent job. 97.7 thousand workplaces on an annualized average basis will be created in the sphere of individual entrepreneurship. Employment of seasonal and temporary workers in the rural economy and construction will make up 199.1 thousand jobs on an annualized average basis.

Apart from that, sources of income will be created for 308.6 thousand citizens on account of stimulation of self-employment of population, among them 272.7 thousand – in private subsidiary and farmer (dehkan) households; and 35.9 thousand – in craftsmanship and family businesses.

The Program allocates particular attention to employment of graduates of secondary special and higher educational institutions, the number of whom will make up not less than 508.8 thousand in 2017. Special measures will have to be elaborated for each town and district with the objective of employing the college and lyceum graduates.

Then was reviewed a Law “On combating corruption”, which establishes the fundamental principles and directions of the State policy in countering corruption, provides for a system of authorized bodies, defines mechanisms and reveals the questions of participation of citizens’ self-government bodies, civil society institutions, mass media and the citizens, as well as international cooperation in this sphere.

For the purpose of coordination of activities and strengthening interaction between the anti-corruption entities the Law provides for the establishment of the Republican interdepartmental commission on combating corruption with inclusion into its composition representatives of public associations, entrepreneurs and other civil society institutions. According to senators, the adoption of this Law will contribute to the growth of business activity and improve the country’s investment attractiveness, as well as strengthen the legal guarantees of protecting the citizens’ rights and freedoms.

The parliamentarians considered the Law “On the procedure of serving the administrative detention”. It establishes the procedure for reception, safe keeping and legal placement of persons subjected to administrative detention, their everyday material and medical support. It defines the rights and responsibilities of the administration and the staff of the special receiver institutions, procedure for recovering the maintenance costs and involving to laboring persons subjected to administrative detention, as well as incentives for and disciplinary actions against them. The senators approved the Law.

The Law “On the introduction of amendments and addenda to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in connection with the adoption of additional measures on ensuring accelerated development of entrepreneurial activities, all-round protection of private property and qualitative improvement of business climate” was considered at the session. Its basic objective is provision of greater freedom to small businesses and private entrepreneurship, radical reduction of government agencies’ interference into their activities and elimination of barriers and limitations preventing their development.

To be more specific, a new provision is being introduced into the Criminal Code with the objective of ensuring further liberalization of accountability of entrepreneurial activity entities, which envisages inadmissibility of punishment in the form of deprivation of the right to carry out entrepreneurial activity, except for cases, which resulted in death or other serious consequences.

It also provides for exemption from civil and criminal liability, application of penal and financial sanctions (other than interest) in regard to entrepreneurial entities and their employees, first-time offenders in the implementation of financial and economic activities, in case of voluntary elimination of violations and (or) compensation for material damage within thirty days from the day of detection of offense. The document introduces amendments to some legislative acts on the abolition of all types of unplanned as well as counter inspections of entrepreneurial entities, including on criminal cases. The Law was approved by the senators.

Also was considered and approved the Law “On the institution of the day of the workers of prosecution authorities of the Republic of Uzbekistan”. The parliament members noted that the 8th of January as the Day of the workers of prosecution authorities will further improve the effectiveness of these bodies’ activities and stimulate good performance of their duties and responsibilities by the prosecution offices’ employees.

Proceeding from the tasks specified in the report delivered by the President-elect of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the gala meeting devoted to the 24th anniversary of the Constitution, was considered a question on the further improvement of the Senate of Oliy Majlis in the sphere of international relations, external economic activities, foreign investments and tourism.

The lawmakers passed a decision on the introduction of the post of First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Oliy Majlis. His functions will include organization of coordinated activities and monitoring the execution of programs and work plans in this area.

With the same point in view the Senate Commission on foreign political issues was transformed into the Senate Commission on the issues of international relations, external economic ties, foreign investments and tourism with the expansion of its structure and powers. Sodik Safoyev was elected First Deputy Chairman of the upper house of parliament.

The plenary session also considered other issues within the competence of the Senate of Oliy Majlis.

Jahon Information Agency