Senate passes law prohibiting the privatization of parks and boulevards

On February 20, during a plenary session, the Senate approved the law "On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Connection with the Further Improvement of the Procedure for Land Use."

It was noted that there is a need to clarify the permitted types of land use in order to ensure compliance with land and urban planning legislation, as well as urban development regulations. This will help increase awareness among land users, tenants, and property owners regarding land use procedures.

Furthermore, measures need to be taken to enhance the protection of squares, parks, boulevards, and recreational areas, as well as the trees planted in these areas. It is crucial to prevent the construction of buildings and structures on these lands.

The law strictly prohibits the privatization, alienation, or reduction of land used for cultural and recreational purposes, as well as the construction of buildings and structures on such areas.

Additionally, criminal liability will be increased for violating these restrictions. The law also includes provisions that ban the privatization of botanical gardens and the construction of buildings on their territory. Botanical gardens will now be included in the list of protected natural areas.

Specifically, the Land Code will be supplemented with a new section introducing a system for determining, designating, and modifying permitted land use types.

Senators emphasized that the adoption of this law will improve the efficiency of land resource management, enhance the quality of market and cadastral valuation of all land categories, and increase awareness among land users, tenants, and landowners about the permitted uses of land. It will also strengthen control in this area.

"The law will help preserve cultural and recreational sites and their territories, prohibit the alienation of botanical gardens and their lands, and prevent the expansion of construction zones. Additionally, it will increase the accountability of officials," the statement concluded.