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Uzbekistan has introduced mandatory anti-corruption reviews for major investment projects worth at least $50 million, as the government intensifies efforts to strengthen oversight of public spending and large-scale development initiatives. The new procedure was approved through an official instruction registered by the Ministry of Justice on May 8, according to the ministry’s Legal Information channel. Under the new rules, large investment projects involving at least $50 million in financing will be subject to anti-corruption examinations and assessments of their impact on market competition before they can move forward. The regulation applies to projects aimed at creating, expanding, or modernizing socially and economically significant infrastructure, services, and facilities. The reviews will be conducted by internal anti-corruption control units within state bodies and organizations. Officials said projects identified as carrying a high risk of corruption could receive a negative assessment regarding their feasibility and implementation. Authorities also stressed that projects will not be approved until all shortcomings identified during the examination process are fully addressed. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Uzbekistan had opened criminal proceedings against senior officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs following investigations into large-scale financial violations. At a government meeting on January 27, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said investigators had uncovered 53 trillion Uzbekistani som (UZS), approximately $4.38 billion, in financial irregularities and misused funds nationwide. According to the president’s press secretary, 4.2 trillion som ($347.3 million) of the total was directly linked to corruption schemes. Authorities reported that 1.3 trillion som ($107.5 million) had already been recovered, while 55 individuals were arrested across the country in connection with corruption-related cases.
Uzbekistan has launched criminal proceedings against senior officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs as part of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign that has exposed extensive financial violations across the country. At a government meeting on January 27, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that investigations had uncovered 53 trillion Uzbekistani som ($4.38 billion) in financial irregularities and misappropriated funds. Of that, damage linked directly to corruption schemes totaled 4.2 trillion som ($347.3 million), according to a statement from the president’s press secretary. Authorities reported that 1.3 trillion som ($107.5 million) in damages has already been recovered, and 55 individuals have been arrested nationwide in connection with corruption-related activities. Among the highest-profile cases is one involving the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Criminal proceedings have been initiated against Deputy Interior Minister Bekmurod Abdullayev and Rustam Tursunov, head of the ministry’s Penitentiary Department. Investigators allege that 186 billion som ($15.38 million) in budget funds were embezzled through fraudulent state procurement schemes within the ministry. “Every single som of state money will be placed under strict and effective control. Responsibility is inevitable, and punishment will be severe,” Mirziyoyev said during the meeting. In addition to budget-related losses, audits also identified more than $8 billion in debt associated with foreign trade operations. Mirziyoyev described the findings as alarming and announced the introduction of internal compliance and anti-corruption systems across government bodies and state enterprises. He also addressed personnel management within law enforcement. Despite mandatory retirement ages, 55 for colonels and 60 for generals, over 300 officers exceeding these limits are reportedly still in leadership roles. By contrast, all top officials in the Ministry of Emergency Situations are currently under 50 years old. Mirziyoyev underscored the need to promote a new generation of professional and accountable young leaders while also harnessing the expertise of retired or soon-to-retire officers through mentorship and youth engagement programs. The meeting concluded with directives to conduct a critical review of officials responsible for oversight and security in state institutions. The initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen financial discipline and governance throughout the public sector.
