In his address to the parliament (Oliy Majlis), Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted on December 29 that the number of public management employees must be reduced by 15 percent, according to CentralAsia.  

According to him, the public management system is not working efficiently enough.  The problem specifically lies in the over-centralization of the decision-making process in ministries and agencies, and functions are often duplicated because they are not defined clearly, Mirziyoyev noted.  

Besides, some deputy ministers and middle-level managers reportedly avoid responsibility and show no initiative. 

Mirziyoyev believes that these problems exist due to a lack of knowledge and skills, a lack of a sense of responsibility, and corruption.  Officials reportedly do not solve real problems, but hold unnecessary meetings and do paperwork. 

Mirziyoyev gave the government two months to address the shortcomings and optimize the number of pubic management employees.  

On the labor migration, Mirziyoyev noted that more than 600,000 compatriots had been returned home.  Within the framework of the national movement “Kindness and Support” with the active participation of generous compatriots, over 800,000 low-income families received financial support in the amount of more than $1 billion, Mirziyoyev said.