Sherzod Kudbiev, Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Urbanization, has addressed the social media firestorm surrounding his luxury wristwatch.

The controversy began after Kudbiev was seen wearing the timepiece at a high-level meeting. Bloggers and social media users identified the accessory as a luxury model—speculated to be either a Vacheron Constantin Overseas or a Breguet Marine—with an estimated price tag of $50,000.

Journalist Ilyos Safarov argued that public scrutiny of a high-ranking official’s assets is standard practice in any democratic society. In his view, when civil servants remain silent in such situations, it only fuels public distrust.

"Who is a civil servant? They are individuals paid by the people’s taxes, supporting their families on that income, and they are duty-bound to account for every soum. In this context, investigating the cost of Kudbiev’s watch and its source is not 'meddling in his private life'—it is a test of his immunity to corruption," Safarov noted.

The journalist pointed to a systemic flaw: the lack of a functional mechanism for officials to declare their income and assets. He also addressed rumors that the watch was an inheritance from his father, Davlat Kudbiev, who passed away in December 2024.

"An inheritance is sacred; its value isn't measured in money. The problem is that Kudbiev chose silence. Consequently, in the eyes of the public, he appeared not as a grieving heir, but as an official flaunting wealth at the public's expense. The issue lies within the system—transparency remains an optional choice for them rather than a mandatory obligation," the journalist emphasized.

A week after the debate began, Sherzod Kudbiev released a video statement, explaining that his delayed response was due to a heavy workload and "stress."

"Therefore, especially during official meetings, I believe we must demonstrate our status as servants of the people through our modesty. I have taken this as a very serious lesson for myself. Moving forward, our work will be dedicated solely to the benefit and prosperity of our motherland," he concluded.