The Anti-Corruption Agency has uncovered that approximately 1,500 public officials were involved in illegal business activities, violating the country’s laws prohibiting government employees from engaging in entrepreneurship. This was reported by Sherzod Saparov, the spokesperson for the Agency for Combating Corruption.

Under the law "On Conflict of Interest," employees of ministries, departments, state-owned enterprises, and organizations with more than 50% government ownership, as well as local government officials, are prohibited from conducting business activities. However, the agency's investigation revealed ongoing violations of this law.

The Agency conducted extensive research to ensure compliance with these regulations. The investigation found that in 1,653 business entities, 1,488 management personnel were listed as founders. As a result, the Agency submitted 33 official notices to state bodies and organizations for action.

In addition to monitoring business activities, the agency also conducted a remote investigation into government procurement processes using the electronic information system "etender.uzex.uz." The investigation found that 127 government procurement procedures, amounting to 175.4 billion sums, had conflicts of interest, while 22 procurements totaling 23.9 billion sums were won using anti-competitive methods. As a result of the agency's findings, contracts and protocols related to these procurement cases have been annulled.

To address these issues, the agency has worked on harmonizing the legislative framework with the provisions of the "Conflict of Interest" law. A set of legal documents has been developed, and relevant amendments and regulations are currently being reviewed by ministries and agencies. One of the proposed measures includes a decree on suspending business activities for individuals upon their appointment to government civil service positions.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Justice has drafted a regulation for the Cabinet of Ministers to formalize the process for suspending business activities when individuals engaged in entrepreneurship take up a government position. This regulation has already been agreed upon with the relevant ministries.

A comprehensive list of government bodies and organizations subject to the "Conflict of Interest" law has been created, covering 27 national-level bodies, 71 republican executive authorities, 10 state-targeted funds, as well as local government administrations, including those of the city of Tashkent, regions, districts, and cities. Additionally, 49 state-owned businesses with more than 50% government shareholding are also included.

The specific names of the entities and organizations involved in these cases have not been disclosed.