The lower house of the parliament considered a report of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan on execution of the State Budget in 2010 and the first quarter of 2011. First Deputy Prime Minister – Finance Minister Rustam Azimov presented the report.

The report said that the state budget of Uzbekistan was implemented in line with the parameters, earlier approved by Oliy Majlis, despite negative consequences of the global economic crisis. During the budget process, the main attention was paid to implementation of important priorities of social-economic programme of Uzbekistan. Adopted measures helped to ensure growth of gross domestic product, industrial output, agriculture production, retail trade turnover and volume of paid services.

In the result of adopted measures on further strengthening liquidity and stability of financial system of the country, the aggregate capital of commercial banks and the volume of deposits increased significantly. The volume of loans directed to real sector of economy also increased. The investments to construction of production capacities, purchase of equipment grew.

In 2010, over 950,000 new jobs were created in Uzbekistan of which 604,000 or 65% in small business and 210,000 were outworks.

The positive development was also observed in the first quarter of 2011. Economy, industrial production, agriculture output, construction works, retail trade turnover and services all grew in the reporting period. The State Budget was executed with surplus in January-March 2011.

After Rustam Azimov’s report, MPs discussed the report and members of all political parties and MPs of Ecologic Movement shared their opinion. After the discussions, the MPs adopted a corresponding resolution.

After that MPs discussed draft law “On introduction of changes and amendments to the law “On bankruptcy”, which is directed at speeding up separate procedures of enterprise liquidation. The amendments allow significantly optimize liquidation process of bankrupt enterprises and realization of their property.

The draft law also envisages norm, which allows to liquidate production of debtor without ending its activity to protect population.

Legislative Chamber also discussed a law “On introduction of changes and amendments to law “On licensing separate types of activities”. The law clarifies some norms of the law, directed at improving efficiency and simplification of licensing procedures.

MPs considered a draft law “On introduction of changes and amendments to some legislative acts of Uzbekistan”. The law was developed in line with the presidential decree “On additional measures on further decreasing and improving system on organization of control over activity of entrepreneurship” and directed at decreasing interference of controlling bodies to activities of the businesses.

The draft law “On introduction of changes and amendments to Criminal Code of Uzbekistan and Code of Administrative Responsibility in connection with strengthening responsibility for illegal interference to activity of businesses” was developed within the State Programme “The Year of small businesses and private entrepreneurship”.

The document envisages responsibilities, including criminal, for initiating and holding inspections, stopping activity of businesses and their banking accounts, illegal demand for providing information on balance of the businesses’ accounts.

MPs discussed “On introduction of changes and amendments to law “On state statistics”, which is directed at clarification of some norms of existing legislation to determine authority of the state statistics bodies, limiting their rights, etc.

After the discussions, MPs approved all draft laws in the first reading and directed to discussion at corresponding committees. Legislative Chamber also considered other issues of its jurisdiction.