The Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and the chief of the Presidential Administration Zainilobiddin Nizomiddinov, on the president's instruction, chaired a meeting in the Cabinet of Ministers on the results of 2020 and priority goals for 2021, a source in the government told the Tashkent Times.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy PMs, advisers, as well as heads of ministries and state-owned companies. The report of the First Deputy PM Ochilboy Ramatov, chief of the Complex on integrated development of territories, communications, construction and housing and communal services, were considered.

The Complex includes the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Transport (which includes the Committee for Roads), the State Committee for Ecology, Uzbekistan Airways, Uzbekistan Airports, Uzbekistan Railways, Uzsanoatqurilishmateriallari, Toshshahartranskhizmat, Uzshahar Qurilish Invest and others.

“The conclusions of the meeting were provided to the President. On the basis of this, the president on January 5 issued a decree on dismissing the Minister of Housing and Communal Services, Muzaffar Soliev for failures in his work, in spite of repeated warnings. He also reprimanded the Chairman of the Committee for Roads, Abdurakhmon Abduvaliev and issued a warning to the Minister of Construction Botir Zakirov,” the source added.

Abdurakhmon Abduvaliev was instructed to rectify shortcomings and was given six months for this.

On December 16, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held an expanded meeting dedicated to a critical analysis of the mistakes made in preparing for the winter and food security issues. There, the head of state criticized the heads of ministries and industries, including Muzaffar Soliev.

Muzaffar Soliev, 45, had been in charge of Ministry of Housing and Communal Services since July 5, 2017. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Minister of Defense responsible for Logistics and Capital Construction (2010-2015), and then - Deputy Minister of Defense in charge of Personnel Recruitment (2015-2017).

Muzaffar Soliev