Uzbekistan will change the procedure for appointing deputy ministers, khokims, and a number of other officials.

In Uzbekistan, the procedure for appointing deputy ministers, khokims, and a number of other officials will be changed. These changes are provided for in the constitutional law on the Presidential Administration, adopted on August 14.

The key innovation is the replacement of the phrases "appointed by the president" or "in agreement with the president" with the more general phrase "in the manner determined by the president" in several legislative acts. This means that the specific procedure for appointment and dismissal will no longer be strictly codified in law, but will be established by the president in a separate act.

Currently, first deputy and deputy khokims of regions and the city of Tashkent are appointed and dismissed by the respective khokim in agreement with the president, after which the decision is approved by the Council of People's Deputies. After the amendments come into force, the phrase "in agreement with the president" will be replaced with "in the manner determined by the president." This eliminates the requirement for direct approval of each candidate by the president, leaving the appointment and dismissal mechanism at the discretion of the head of state.

Similar changes will also affect the Law "On the State Tax Service." Currently, the deputy chairmen of the Tax Committee, as well as the heads of tax departments in Karakalpakstan, the regions, and Tashkent, are appointed and dismissed directly by the president. After the amendments, they will be appointed and dismissed "in the manner determined by the president." Thus, the law will no longer explicitly refer to the head of state making personnel decisions personally, and the authority to appoint and dismiss these individuals will be defined separately.

Similar changes are envisaged in the Law "On Internal Affairs Bodies." Deputy Ministers of Internal Affairs, who are currently appointed and dismissed directly by the president, will be appointed and dismissed "in the manner determined by the president" after the new law comes into force. However, the provision regarding the Minister of Internal Affairs himself will remain unchanged.

More systemic changes are being introduced to the Law "On the Cabinet of Ministers." Currently, ministers and their deputies are appointed and dismissed by the president. The heads of other national executive bodies are also appointed by the president, and their deputies are appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers in consultation with the head of state. Following the amendments, the system will change: the heads of all national executive bodies will continue to be appointed and dismissed by the president, while their deputies will be appointed and dismissed "in the manner determined by the president."

National executive bodies include ministries, committees, agencies, and inspectorates. Thus, the law will eliminate the direct requirement that deputy ministers be appointed personally by the president, and deputy heads of committees, agencies, and inspectorates by the Cabinet of Ministers in consultation with the president. Instead, a uniform formula will be introduced for all deputies, under which the president determines the procedure and subject of appointment.

As a reminder, on August 14, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the constitutional law "On the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan," which for the first time detailed the legal status, tasks, and powers of the Administration. According to the law, the Presidential Administration reports directly to and is accountable to the President. It coordinates the activities of government agencies and organizations in implementing the decisions and instructions of the head of state, monitors their implementation, may issue binding instructions and orders to the heads of government agencies, and evaluate the performance of officials. Expanded immunity guarantees are introduced for its employees.

The law also strengthens the powers of the Head of the Presidential Administration. He will be able to issue orders and orders binding on all government agencies, enterprises, institutions, organizations, and officials throughout the country. At the same time, amendments to the Law "On Regulatory Legal Acts" include orders of the Head of the Administration in the list of independent types of regulatory legal acts. They will also serve as the legal basis for regulatory decisions by khokims and local councils.