Over 15 billion soums (USD 1.35 million) were spent to hold the Tashkent International Investment Forum. For example, an agreement was signed with Sky Events LLC on the purchase of 1.5-liter Coca-Cola drink for 32 thousand soums (retail price at grocery store is 10,000 soums), and Sochnaya Dolina juices for 48 thousand soums (retail price at grocery store is 13,000 soums).

It was reported that at least 15 billion soums were spent on organizing the Tashkent International Investment Forum, which took place on March 24-26. The details of these expenses are causing discussion in social networks.

On March 15, a contract worth about 7.3 billion soums was signed between Sky Events LLC and the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade. The services contract provides for holding the forum, the rental of several buildings and the organization of catering services.

On the approved list:

• 1 portion of raspberries - 200 thousand soums (230 thousand soums including VAT, total 100 portions - 23 million soums);
• 1 portion of black caviar - 6 million 320 thousand soums;
• 1 unit of 0.33 ml Chortoq mineral water - 36,800 soums (retail price at grocery store - 6,990 soums);
• 32,200 soums per 1.5-liter bottle of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Sprite drinks (retail price at grocery store -11,000 soums);
• 1 unit of Viko and Sochnaya Dolina fruit juices is priced at 48,300 soums (the retail market price is between 12,000 and 16,000 soums).

Given that the forum was in March, some fruit prices may have been more expensive than current prices, but the price of the above drink has not changed much over the past 4 months.

On March 24, a contract worth 2 billion 53 million soums was signed between the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade and Lux ​​Taxi LLC for rental of luxury cars.

As part of the deal, between March 21-28 were provided:

• 155 Mercedes W222 (total amount paid - 759 million 500 thousand soums);
• 74 Mercedes W221/2 (266.4 million soums);
• 100 Mercedes W221 (316 million soums);
• 186 Mercedes Vito (448.2 million soums);
• 148 GM Malibu (263 million soums).

Also, a catering agreement worth over 2 billion 585 million soums was entered into with the company Akfa Dream World (owned by business partners of the Tashkent city mayor).

The prices of some of the dishes served at the Forum dining table were calculated as follows:

• 1 piece of somsa - 70 thousand soums;
• 1 portion of small manti 50 thousand soums;
• 1 portion of soup from 80,000 to 130,000 soums;
• 1 portion of norin 130 thousand soums;
• 1 portion of mastava is 50 thousand soums.

Prices are shown without VAT. Akfa Dream World (Hilton) is waived or privileged from a number of taxes, including VAT, property tax, social tax, personal income tax and land tax, according to Gazeta.uz, citing information from the State Tax Committee. In 2021 alone, the company's VAT benefits amounted to 21.9 billion soums.

In an interview in 2019, the mayor of Tashkent city, Jahangir Ortiqkhojaev, said that after the completion of construction works on the Hilton Hotel and Congress Hall, they will be handed over to the state, and the structures will not be used as a source of income.

It is noteworthy that Sky Events LLC and Akfa Dream World companies mentioned above are registered at almost the same address (Islam Karimov Street, block 5, building 1-2 and building 1, Shaikhontohur district).

In addition to the above:

• 457 million soums for rent of stage and screens with Ahadmix-Yastreb LLC;
• 798 million 500 thousand soums for the provision of sound devices with Republica Special Communication Network under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of ICT;
• 253 million 200 thousand soums for hall rent and food with Akfa Dream World;
• 1 billion 190 million soums for rent of a hall and a buffet table for 1500 seats in the International hotel;
• 398 million soums with Shorakhmat-Fayz on the flag rental.

Economist Otabek Bakirov writes that the ministry has not paid the money to some organizations that helped in the organization of the forum and is still in debt. In particular, it is said that Webmedia Information, which provides advertising and PR services, was not paid for its services.

For information, according to Article 56 of the Public Procurement Law, if by the presidential decrees and decisions or the decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers public customers are entitled to make purchases without holding a tender, the procurement procedure shall be carried out by selection, regardless of the amount of the public purchase.

In case where the value of goods (works, services) exceeds 25 thousand basic settlement units (six thousand times BSU for budget-financed customers, 1.8 billion soums at current prices), technical assignments for state procurement shall be submitted to the Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation for examination in accordance with the law.

Therefore, the above purchases made by the MIFT at the expense of budget funds might have been approved by the Comprehensive Expertise Center.