Uzbekistan introduced annual ratings of government agencies based on the openness index

Uzbekistan is undertaking deep reforms to democratize its public administration in an open manner with broad public participation. This policy stems from the state's obligation to ensure the constitutional rights of Uzbek citizens to participate in the management of society and state and to access information. This policy plays a key role in the successful transformation of the state apparatus and strengthening trust between the state and society. 

It is important to note that informational transparency serves not only as a foundation for civil service reforms but also as their ultimate goal. It aims to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of the state apparatus. A significant step in this direction was the adoption of the Law "On Openness of Activities of State Authorities and Management". This Law defined the methods and procedures for disclosing information about the activities of state bodies, including information about civil service reforms.

According to the Law "On Openness of Activities of State Authorities and Management", all drafts of normative-legal acts and other acts of state bodies aimed at civil service reform shall be posted on the websites of the respective state bodies. Moreover, information about these drafts shall be made public and disseminated through other means, including by allowing information users to attend open meetings of state bodies where these drafts are discussed.

The introduction of information technologies into public administration in Uzbekistan has enabled the integration of methods for ensuring the openness of draft regulatory acts and for ensuring public participation in their development. As an example, one can cite the Portal for Discussion of Draft Regulatory Acts (https://regulation.gov.uz). On this portal, citizens have the opportunity not only to familiarize themselves with draft regulatory acts but also to express their opinions on their norms, make suggestions, and express their attitude towards the proposals of other participants in the discussion.

Citizens of Uzbekistan are actively using the opportunities provided to them. This can be seen in the discussion of a key document on civil service reform - the draft law "On Civil Service", posted on the Portal on May 22, 2020. This draft was viewed by 23,880 users, and 219 proposals were made. Other regulatory legal acts on civil service reform have also been posted on the Portal.

The openness of the ongoing civil service reforms is ensured by the bodies authorized in this area. One of these is the Agency for Strategic Reforms under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Agency coordinates the activities of state bodies in implementing strategic reforms, including providing them with expert assistance. For example, on the Agency's website you can read the draft decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on improving the state civil service system. 

The Agency for the Development of Civil Service under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan plays an important role in this area. The Agency studies the state of civil service and develops draft regulations for its improvement. All information about this activity is posted on the Agency's website and disclosed in other ways, and citizens have the opportunity to participate in the Agency's activities within the framework of social partnership and public control.

According to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Social Partnership", the Agency for the Development of Civil Service under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan ensures the participation of non-governmental non-profit organizations and other civil society institutions in the development and implementation of civil service development programs, regulatory legal acts, and involves their representatives in the activities of the working groups, commissions and public council created by it.

The Public Council under the Agency for Civil Service Development under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan carries out not only social partnership, but also public control over the activities of the Agency. The initiative to create such public councils was put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan in his address to the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017. According to paragraph 8 of the Model Regulations approved by the Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated July 4, 2018 No. PP-3837, the public council is tasked with monitoring the activities carried out to ensure the openness of the state body.

In order to participate in the reform of the civil service, citizens can use the right to appeal, which is one of the forms of public control. The creation of the Virtual and People's Reception Offices of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan significantly increased the efficiency of working with citizens' appeals. Based on the accumulated experience, a Unified Online Platform for registering, reviewing and monitoring appeals was launched, through which it is easy and quick to send an appeal to all government agencies.

In Uzbekistan, conditions have been created for sending a collective appeal through the web portal "Mening fikrim", which was launched in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated January 22, 2018 No. UP-5308. Through this Portal, citizens have the opportunity to appeal to the chambers of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, regional, district and city Kengashes of people's deputies. Appeals will be considered by the chambers of the Oliy Majlis, regional, district and city Kengashes of people's deputies if they receive the support of 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 citizens, respectively.

In Uzbekistan, special attention is paid to state control over the openness of the activities of state bodies. The Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan approved the methodology for assessing the openness of state bodies, i.e. the openness index. According to this Decree, the Commission for assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of the work carried out in the field of ensuring openness was formed under the Anti-Corruption Agency. 

Since 2022, annual ratings of government agencies based on the openness index have been announced in Uzbekistan. Based on the assessment results, the commission develops tasks and goals for analyzing and eliminating systemic deficiencies in ensuring openness, as well as further improving activities in this area, including disseminating positive experience. The commission also makes proposals on the application of disciplinary sanctions to responsible persons whose organizations have deficiencies in ensuring openness.

In conclusion, it can be said that Uzbekistan is consistently building a state in which citizens are full participants in political life. Active participation of citizens in the decision-making process and control over the activities of state bodies is becoming an integral part of the reforms being carried out. Improvement of the organizational and legal framework for ensuring openness is reflected in the reform of the civil service, which contributes to increasing their effectiveness and strengthening citizens' trust in the state.

Professor, Department of "Constitutional Law"

TSUL, Yuldoshev A.E.