Information about the privatization program is provided

    Uzbekistan 17 April 2024 2331

    President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was informed about the privatization program for 2024 and measures aimed at its effective implementation.

    At a meeting on economic development held on January 16 this year, the Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to prepare a new privatization program. In accordance with this, a new program was developed based on analyzing the effectiveness of shares in enterprises with state participation and state-owned real estate.

    In particular, to reduce the state’s participation in the economy, lists of about 250 state shares put up for public auction, almost a thousand real estate properties of enterprises with state participation, and 12 enterprises for which a public offering of shares will be held on the local stock market were compiled.

    The sale of facilities previously put up for auction is progressing slowly. To speed up this process and increase the share of the private sector in the economy, certain relaxations are provided.

    For example, if state assets (except for assets in the city of Tashkent and regional centers) have not been sold within three months, their value will be gradually reduced to 10 percent of the starting price. Entrepreneurs who have rented state property through an auction for at least five years as of January 1, 2024, and have fulfilled their obligations are given the right to purchase it directly at the assessed value.

    The starting price of non-agricultural land plots (except for the city of Tashkent and regional centers) not sold within three months will be reduced to 30 percent, and if not sold within six months – to 10 percent.

    It is possible to make 15 percent of the payment within three months and the remaining part within ten years.

    Payments to eliminate deficiencies in cadastral documents of real estate included in privatization programs will be allowed at the expense of the Privatization Fund.

    In addition, as part of the new program, lists of land plots put up for auction for the placement of trade and service facilities along international highways and for business and urban planning activities have been compiled, and their putting up for auction is simplified.

    In this regard, a new procedure is proposed. In particular, land plots along international highways, regardless of their category, will be auctioned to construct modern retail and consumer services facilities based on a master plan. Registration of sold land plots to the buyer will be carried out without restrictions.

    At the meeting, special attention was also paid to the transformation and privatization of large enterprises with state participation, and proposals for accelerating these processes were discussed.

    Measures for privatizing enterprises with a state share serving the agricultural sector were considered.

    The Head of state instructed speeding up these processes, developing entrepreneurship based on privatized buildings and structures, and creating more jobs.

    It was emphasized that increasing the private sector’s share in subordinate areas and selling inefficiently used and empty assets should become the main tasks of local hokimiyats and industry leaders.