Senate passes bill defining presidential administration's legal status

On August 7, the Senate gave its approval to a constitutional bill concerning the Presidential Administration, marking the first instance where legislation formally establishes its legal standing, primary responsibilities, operational protocols, and interactions with other governmental branches.

During the plenary session, Abdulkhakim Eshmurodov, who chairs the Senate Committee on Judicial and Legal Affairs and Anti-Corruption, highlighted that the constitution grants the president the authority to create an administration for organizational, legal, and analytical support in fulfilling presidential duties. However, he noted that the administration's own legal status had previously lacked statutory definition.

Eshmurodov explained that the administration's engagements with other state entities, along with matters of enforcement, coordination, oversight, and analysis, had largely been governed by subordinate regulations rather than formal legislation. The new constitutional bill aims to codify these relationships.

Comprising 34 articles, the bill defines the Presidential Administration as a state body tasked with ensuring the president can exercise powers organizationally, legally, and analytically, while also fostering coordinated efforts among government bodies.

Under the bill, the president is responsible for forming the Administration and for appointing and dismissing its chief. The document also outlines the Administration's guiding principles and structure, regulates its relationships with government bodies and state organizations, and provides guarantees for its officials, management, and support staff.

Senators indicated that their drafting process involved examining the experiences of countries such as the United States, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Latvia, and Kazakhstan, where dedicated legislation governs the legal status of presidential administrations, chanceries, or offices.

**Ties to Parliament, Government, and Local Administrations**

During the debate, Senator Pokiza Akhmedjanova pointed out that specific provisions of the bill delineate the Administration's relationship with both parliamentary chambers, the Cabinet of Ministers, and local executive authorities. She stated that the document establishes clear boundaries and formats for this cooperation, designed to help coordinate government bodies' work while maintaining a balance of power.

The bill also assigns the Administration responsibility for advancing strategic and priority projects and for reducing economic, social, and environmental disparities between regions. Other provisions address state personnel policy, including performance evaluations for senior officials based on specific indicators, a measure Akhmedjanova believes will enhance accountability among leadership.

**Public Engagement and Oversight of Implementation**

Senator Khusan Ermatov emphasized that a key task for the Administration under the bill is to maintain open dialogue with the public and business community and to address appeals from citizens and organizations. Another provision mandates systematic tracking of reform progress, a mechanism officials believe will ensure the execution of presidential directives and decisions.

Ermatov stated, "Passing this constitutional bill will put an end to excessive bureaucracy in state bodies and strengthen enforcement discipline."

Senate Speaker Tanzila Narbaeva noted that the bill had undergone parallel review with the Legislative Chamber and discussions across all Senate committees. "There were no questions, because sweeping reforms are being carried out across every sector of the republic," she remarked. She added that the bill is expected to improve legal mechanisms governing cooperation between state bodies, local governor and mayor offices, and other organizations, thereby enhancing public administration effectiveness.

Senators unanimously approved the constitutional bill, with no dissenting votes or abstentions.

The Legislative Chamber had passed the bill in its first reading on August 4, followed by approval in its second and third readings on August 6. The bill was not made public for discussion prior to its passage.

This legislation stems from amendments to Article 109 of the constitution, effective July 25, which mandate that the Presidential Administration's legal status, core functions, procedures, and powers be defined by bill. Previously, its status lacked a statutory basis, and its interactions with state bodies—along with matters of enforcement discipline, coordination, monitoring, and analytical work—were primarily governed by subordinate regulations.

During the bill's review, lower-chamber deputies debated, among other things, the Administration's authority to review bills before presidential signature, its role in coordinating anti-corruption compliance units within state agencies, and its interaction with local councils. Nuriddin Ismoilov, chairman of the Legislative Chamber, had initially proposed that repeat legal, financial, and anti-corruption reviews of bills already passed by parliament not be mandatory in every instance.

On August 6, Jahongir Shirinov, chief of the relevant committee, confirmed that after consultations with experts and scholars, the provision had been revised: a clause that would have made various reviews of legislation compulsory before presidential signature was removed from the bill.

A further amendment was made to Article 20, adding a provision under which the Presidential Administration not only coordinates the work of state bodies subordinate to the president but also organizes performance evaluations of their activities.