The facade of the AIMC building, located in the center of Tashkent, on Navoi Street № 30, is being reconstructed.

Kun.uz correspondent who witnessed this drew attention to the fact that the building is under state protection as an architectural monument.

The 4-story administrative building is included in the national register. According to the law, appropriate permission must be obtained for construction work on cultural heritage sites. The permission is issued by the Cultural Heritage Agency based on the conclusion of the Scientific-Expert Council.

In response to Kun.uz request, the official of the Cultural Heritage Agency informed that permission was not received from the council for the repair of the AIMC building.

“On the basis of the task given by the Tashkent city governor at the meeting, the Tashkent city department of the agency applied to the agency for permission for repair-restoration works. The Agency has informed the Scientific-Expert Council that a repair-restoration project should be included. The project documents were submitted to the council on August 24,” a representative of the agency said.

We also contacted the AIMC information service and asked for a comment on the situation. The information provided by this agency is completely different.

“The Cultural Heritage Agency, in its letter No. 02-05/2405 dated August 5, 2022, gave permission to the Tashkent City Cultural Heritage Department to start repair and restoration of the building.

In addition, the necessary documents for the project have been submitted to the Tashkent City Cultural Heritage Department. By letter No. 716 dated August 8, 2022, permission was granted by the Board to carry out repair-restoration works.

“On the basis of the minutes of the meeting held under the leadership of the first deputy khokim of Tashkent city, the task of finishing the repair-restoration work by August 31 was entrusted to the state institution of the Department for Managing Administrative Buildings of the AIMC under the presidential administration,” the AIMC said in its response.

Although the answers of these two agencies are different, the main issue is clear: permission of the Scientific-Expert Council was not obtained for the reconstruction works, which is contrary to the presidential decree issued last year.

According to the decree, permits issued without a positive opinion of the Scientific-Expert Council are considered invalid. If we believe AIMC answer, Tashkent City Cultural Heritage Department seems to be unaware of this rule.

Conversely, the issue of the letter No. 02-05/2405 dated August 5 of the Agency of Cultural Heritage is puzzling.