President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan reviewed a package of proposals on April 13 aimed at liberalizing the system of financial fines for businesses. The new measures are designed to reduce bureaucratic pressure, strengthen judicial oversight, and create transparent mechanisms for interaction between government agencies and entrepreneurs.
The key innovation will be the introduction, starting October 1 of this year, of a unified procedure to incentivize voluntary payment of fines. Now, if an entrepreneur pays 50 percent of the fine amount within one month of receiving the decision, they will be fully exempt from paying the remaining portion. Additionally, an installment option is being introduced: fines can be paid in equal installments over six months. Upon payment of the first sixth of the amount within a month, the installment plan is automatically activated.
Special attention is given to protecting entrepreneurs’ rights in court. A mechanism has been proposed whereby, if a fine is overturned by a court, the collected funds must be returned to the owner within 15 days. If this deadline is violated, interest will accrue for each day of delay based on the Central Bank’s main rate. This decision aims to increase the accountability of officials and ensure fairness in law enforcement practices.
Digitalization of processes will become a key tool for transparency. An electronic registry of fines will be added to the “Unified State Control” system managed by the Business Ombudsman. Every decision by an authorized body must be entered into this database and confirmed with an electronic digital signature. Documents not registered in the system will be deemed invalid, and collection of funds based on them will become impossible.
For business convenience, a mobile application will be created with the capability for online payment and appealing decisions through a personal account. Filing a complaint will automatically suspend enforcement of the fine decision until the investigation is completed. The head of state emphasized that creating a clear and fair legal mechanism is a priority task for developing the entrepreneurial environment in the country.
Source: podrobno.uz