From Telegram to the palace: Uzbekistan's top gadfly gets co-opted

Uzbekistan has reconstituted the Public Council for Supporting Entrepreneurship under the President, with a presidential decree on August 27 confirming its new 40-member composition. Among the new additions are finance and economy blogger and civic activist Otabek Bakirov, joining business leaders Laziz Hamidov, Dinara Islomova, and Lola Mirzaeva. Existing members such as prominent businessmen Zafar Hoshimov, Farhod Mamajonov, Jahongir Ortikhojaev, and Murod Nazarov will continue their service.

Established in 2022 and last updated in December 2024, the council is poised to gain significant influence. A law enacted on August 17, effective November 18, mandates that all draft legislation impacting business entities must undergo review by the council before the Ministry of Justice conducts its legal assessment. This marks the first time the body has been formally integrated into the legislative process.

Bakirov's appointment has garnered particular attention. As a blogger and proprietor of a widely followed Telegram channel, he has gained prominence over the past two years for his incisive and persistent critiques of Uzbekistan's economic policies. His commentary has covered areas such as energy tariffs, subsidy programs, customs duties, state-owned enterprises, and IMF tax recommendations, often directly naming officials and institutions. His ongoing criticism of the energy sector led to a complaint filed against him by Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov in late 2024, though Tashkent police opted not to initiate a criminal case. Bakirov has maintained that his critiques target systemic issues rather than specific individuals.

This background is precisely why his inclusion in a presidential advisory body is seen by some observers as more than a routine change. The practice of incorporating outspoken critics into state structures is common in systems with limited independent institutions. A council position offers status and access, yet it often carries an implicit expectation that the member will temper public criticism of the government they now formally advise. Whether this is the underlying intention or a genuine effort to broaden the council's expertise cannot be determined from the decree itself, as Uzbek officials have not publicly addressed the appointment in these terms.

By formalizing the role of its most vocal critics, the government has established a potent filter for future business laws. However, this move could potentially come at the cost of diminishing the country's remaining avenues for independent economic dissent.

The accuracy of this assessment will likely become apparent over time, as Bakirov's council seat provides him with an official platform to voice his concerns from within the system. Alternatively, as skeptics suggest, it might quietly remove him as one of the more consistent independent voices on economic policy in Uzbekistan's public discourse.