Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The government of Uzbekistan does not intend to abandon natural gas price subsidies in the coming years, despite rising tariffs and previously announced plans to gradually phase out state support. This is according to the new Fiscal Strategy for 2026–2028, published by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

According to the document, in 2025 the government plans to allocate 7 trillion soums from the state budget to compensate for the difference between the market cost of gas production or imports and the retail prices for domestic consumption. This figure exceeds the 6.4 trillion soums outlined in the previous version of the strategy.

For 2026, 5.9 trillion soums are planned instead of the previously projected 4.5 trillion, and for 2027, 5.5 trillion soums — also higher than the earlier forecast of 4.9 trillion soums.

In December 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov stated that state support in the form of subsidies would be gradually reduced and completely phased out by 2028. At the time, he noted that subsidies would continue through 2025–2026, be significantly reduced in 2027, and eliminated entirely starting in 2028.

However, the updated fiscal strategy now includes 5 trillion soums in subsidies for 2028, casting doubt on the previously announced timeline for ending government support.