Khamroev outlines promises that President Mirziyoyev has failed to keep

The expert said the transfer of power after the death of Islam Karimov had gone in violation of the Constitution.

On July 23, the election campaign started in Uzbekistan – the presidential election will be held in the Republic in October. The sitting President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been running the country for almost 5 years. Over the years, the President not only has made significant personnel changes, but also has brought the state out of isolation.

It is under Mirziyoyev that the word “liberalisation” has gained immense popularity. The leader of Uzbekistan also has made many promises about the well-being of Uzbekistan and citizens. Has Mirziyoyev kept all his promises? The editors of CentralAsia.news asked this question to a political expert Bahrom Khamroev.

Lavish with promises

First, the interlocutor talked about Mirziyoyev’s way to power. The expert said the ex-Prime Minister of Uzbekistan began it by violating the Constitution that provides for the temporary transfer of presidential power upon the death of a sitting president to the Chairman of Parliament. The politician had to win political points and sought to gain popularity among the people, as well as recognition of legitimacy abroad, primarily in the West.

“Therefore, he did not skimp on promises. His key promises were as follows. First, these include the relaxation of the political regime. There was no returning back to the old order, Mirziyoyev said. However, he did not offer any specific plans, although he kept highlighting the need for changes and reforms. Nevertheless, the people had so strong fatigue of ‘Karimov's authoritarianism’ that even in the absence of certain promises of liberalization supported by a specific programme of action, the generic words of Mirziyoyev fell on fertile soil and were accepted as credible by the people with gratitude,” Khamroev noted.

Although certain liberal steps have indeed been taken. Some opposition parties, like Birlik and Erk, were allowed, and active work with Uzbek human rights defenders was done. Such activities convinced the latter of the change in the course of the government, the interlocutor noted. A number of political prisoners were released after they had signed a statement undertaking not to conduct anti-state activities.

“These simple measures have borne fruit, which Karimov’s straightforward repressive policy were unable to bear. Yesterday’s opposition became pro-government, and Mirziyoyev temporarily turned into a popular favourite. The same measures changed the image of Uzbekistan in the West, where the President began to be perceived as a reformer and nearly a liberal, the interlocutor said.

However, it should be understood that all these measures were very limited in scope, the political scientist stated. A full review of the cases of political prisoners and their rehabilitation were not done, and political repressions continued. As Mirziyoyev consolidated power, the practice of initiating politically motivated cases and arrests of the remaining critics of the government, bloggers and activists returned after the thaw of the first years of the presidency, Khamroev believes. He mentioned the arrests of bloggers Fozilkhoja Orifhojaev, Ozodbek Kurbanov and Otabek Sattorov among the recent examples.

“In my opinion, the situation, in comparison with the times of Karimov, has even worsened at certain points. The fact is that the joining of a significant part of the ex-opposition to Mirziyoyev and a deceptive semblance of liberalization he has created are building an opinion, including at the level of the international community, about the ongoing liberal reforms, which do not exist,” the expert said.

Khamroev emphasised that Mirziyoyev promised to establish universal executive election at the dawn of his presidency. He promised that the executive branch from heads of local administration to governors (khokim) must be elected. This promise has remained unfulfilled. The power vertical continued to be constructed in the centre.

Failure to combat corruption

In his speeches, the President focused on combating corruption and called for harsh punishment for embezzlers, the interlocutor noted. Mirziyoyev said he would resign if his demands were sabotaged. The political scientist believes that criminal cases of corruption were initiated only against those close to ex-President Karimov. He mentioned the investigation against Gulnara Karimova and ex-Prosecutor General Rashid Kadirov as the examples. In other words, justice affected those who do not belong to the pool of Mirziyoyev.

“Their place was taken by the people, about whom the people say, “does not have an honest bone in his body”. In fact, the fight against corruption and crime has resulted in the large-scale re-distribution of property and expropriation. Successful businesses of the big businessmen, like Abdugani Mirzaev were taken over, and they were sentenced to long-term imprisonment. The assets went to the relatives and confidants of the President,” the expert noted.

Life has not gotten much better

The key message of the President’s promises was the measures to improve the living standards of the people, create new jobs, revitalize the investment climate and facilitate business. According to the interlocutor, ordinary citizens have not seen significant improvements. Uzbekistan, as one of the world’s leaders in labour migration, stays that way. None of significant new industries has been established in the country.

Khamroev said the authorities kept referring to the attraction of significant investment and credit funds from abroad as their achievement. However, their spending remains precarious.

“As I noted above, none of significant new industries has been established in the Republic, and unemployment remains off-scale, however large-scale construction of elite real estate, shopping and entertainment centres has begun,” the political scientist noted.

Khamroev also reminded about the promise to ensure strict observance of the labour rights of citizens. It is primarily about the problem of forced cotton picking, including child cotton labourers. The interlocutor said no programme to change the situation had been adopted so far.

In fact

Khamroev stated that none of Mirziyoyev's promises had been achieved. After coming to power, the President did not present any specific programme of reforms, and all his assurances were populist. So far, no strategies and programmes have been developed.

The expert believes that such a state of affairs does not contribute to sustainable development, but provides an opportunity of returning to the past, which often happens.

“The fact is that it was not originally intended to keep promises, and their goal was quite different. As Mirziyoyev’s power is strengthening, there is no need to make it look like reformism. This is illustrated by the return to ‘tightening the screws’ and the practice of persecution for political reasons,” the expert said.

In conclusion, Khamroev assumed that a return to authoritarianism appeared to be the only plausible scenario. Some blame for this will fall on the shoulders of the Western world that supported Mirziyoyev, despite the events in Andijan in 2005, and then the ‘circumvention’ of the Constitution.

27 07 2021, 11:33
Photo source: facebook.com/politimigrant

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