Uzbekistan: Anti-Corruption Working Group Praised; NGOs Call for Greater Participation

An Uzbek non-governmental organization (NGO) has called the creation of a working group to devise a National Action Plan on combating corruption a "very good step in the right direction."

But Sukhrobjon Ismoilov, the director of Rapid Response Group, says the working group needs more input from agencies and individuals outside government if it is to be truly successful.

"The plan is not very well structured due to large presence of government [employees] in the plan's working groups. [These people] come from governmental commissions and all kinds of committees [including] the courts -- from areas where corruption is in fact a big problem," he told EurasiaNet on April 17.

"For instance, a judge working in district court gets [paid] on average about $101 [per month], how can that person reflect on the problems of corruption when they are involved in it themselves? We suggest an anti-corruption institute be created, which would consist of independent experts, NGO and media professionals. It can't be good if the commission on anti-corruption is made up of people who hold government positions because they will be looking out for their own interests," he added.

The working group was formed within the Office of the Procurator General in early April. It is mooted to not only devise the National Action Plan, but also develop amendments and changes to the existing criminal procedural laws and new bylaws.

According to Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), in 2008 Uzbekistan ranked 166th most corrupt out of global survey of 180 countries.