The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov will visit Uzbekistan on January 12-13, the spokeswoman to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova said at a briefing yesterday, TASS said.

The Director General of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev will visit Uzbekistan to discuss the nuclear plant project in Uzbekistan, the First deputy foreign minister, Ilkhom Nematov told RIA Novosti.

On December 26, President Shavkat Mirziyoev visited the Abdullah Qodiriy School of Art and Museum, where he met with writers, poets, scholars, and young artists.

Uzbekistan could benefit from joining the Eurasian Economic Union, this issue is now under intense discussion, the First Deputy Minister, Ilhom Nematov told RIA Novosti.

The President of Uzbekistan signed the Investments and Investment Activities Bill into Law. The Law was passed by the Legislative Chamber on December 9, 2019, and approved by the Senate on December 14, 2019.

The basic principles of investment activity are:

• legality;
• transparency and openness;
• freedom of investment activity;
• fairness and equality of investment actors;
• non-allowance of discrimination against investors;
• presumption of investors' good faithness.

The basic principles of the regulation on investments and investment activities shall apply at all stages of the investment and investment activities.

Investments can be divided into capital, financial and social types based on the purpose.

Investors may also invest in other ways that are not contrary to the law.

Investment activity can be carried out by combining different forms of investment.

Changing the primary or secondary forms of investment does not lead to change of the form of investment.

Investment resources include:

• cash (including foreign currency) and other financial assets, including loans, stakes, shares and other securities;
• movable and immovable property (buildings, structures, equipment, machinery and other materials and resources) and rights to them;
• intellectual property, technical documents, skills and R&D products necessary for organization of a particular type of production units;
• right of possession and use of land plots and other natural resources, as well as other property rights arising from property rights.

Investor has the right to:

• freely carry out investment activity, not contrary to the Uzbekistan legislation, independently determine the volume, types, forms, areas of investment;
• enter into agreements with legal entities and individuals for investment activities;
• own, use and dispose of their investments and the results of his investment activities, as well as to sell and export the results of his/her investment activities;
• independently and freely dispose of the income received from investment activity after taxes, fees and other duties provided for by the legislation;
• use the property and any proprietary rights, which he/she owns as security/collateral for all assumed obligations, including debt obligations;
• get adequate compensation in the event of expropriation of his/her investments and other assets;
• attracting cash in the form of loans and borrowings;
• get compensation for damage caused by unlawful actions (inaction) and decisions by state authorities, local authorities and their public officials.

Investor is obliged to:

• pay taxes and duties;
• perform contractual obligations undertaken by him/her in connection with investment;
• comply with the legislation, including the regulations on competition, anti-corruption, investment and investment activities, labor, urban planning, environmental protection, as well as industrial, health & safety norms and rules;
• indemnify damage cause to participant of investment activity due to non-performance or improper performance of some contract terms and conditions;
• perform the requirements of the authorities and local authorities that are within their competence.

Guarantees of the rights of investors

The state guarantees the investors’ rights. State bodies and their officials are not entitled to interfere in the investors activities carried out in accordance with the law.

If state bodies and their officials find violations of the law in the activities of investors, they can take the measures to which they are authorized and which are directly related to the recitification of a specific violation.

State bodies and their officials cannot use the fact of a violation as a basis for interference or restriction of other, not related to investment, activities of investors.

The state guarantees non-discrimination against investors on their citizenship, place of residence, place of business, and also depending on the country of origin of investors or investments.

The exercise of rights by an investor should not violate the rights and legally protected interests of other investors. Moreover, the state, as a co-founder (shareholder, participant) of a business entity, has equal rights and obligations along with other founders (shareholders, participants).

These guarantee provisions shall not apply to the adoption, amendment or cancellation of regulations that are directly related to ensuring the national security of the Republic of Uzbekistan, determined in accordance with generally recognized principles and norms of the international law.

Guaranteed use of funds

Investor’s income, obtained as a result of investment activity, may be reinvested after taxes or payments, or used in any other way at own discretion.

Restrictions on use or forced withdrawal of funds from accounts of a company with foreign and local investments by state bodies can be carried out exclusively in accordance with the procedure established by law.

Guarantees for free transfer of funds

Investors are guaranteed the free transfer of funds in foreign currency to and from the Republic of Uzbekistan without any restrictions, provided that they pay taxes and duties, including currency conversion for repatriation. Such transfers include:

• initial and additional sums to maintain or increase foreign investment;
• proceeds from investment;
• funds received as compensation for losses in accordance with this Law;
• payments made for performance of contract terms;
• proceeds from sale of all or part of foreign investment;
• payments received from a settled dispute, including any judicial or arbitral ruling;
• salaries and other payments to employees;
• funds from other sources received in accordance with the law.

In accordance with laws and international treaties of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the state may suspend the repatriation of funds of a foreign investor on the basis of non-discriminatory application of legislative acts in cases of insolvency and bankruptcy of an enterprise with foreign investment or violation of the rights of lenders, criminal acts or administrative offenses committed by a foreign investor - an individual, or other need to suspend such repatriation in accordance with judicial or an arbitral ruling.

Guarantees of return of foreign investment due to termination of investment activity

A foreign investor has the right to terminate investment activity in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

After termination of investment activity, a foreign investor has the right to freely repatriate in cash or in kind his assets received as a result of the termination of investment activity, without prejudice to the performance of obligations of a foreign investor in relation to the Republic of Uzbekistan or other creditors.

Guarantees against adverse changes in investment-related regulations

Acts of legislation are not retroactive in cases where their performance is detrimental to the investor or investment.

In the event that subsequent legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan worsens the conditions for investment, then the laws in force on the date of investment shall apply to investors within ten years from the date of investment. The investor has the right, at own discretion, to opt for provisions of the new legislation that improve the conditions for his investment.

These provisions shall not apply to the adoption, amendment, supplement or repeal of legislative acts that are directly related to ensuring the protection of the national security interests of the Republic of Uzbekistan, determined in accordance with generally recognized principles of international law.

Guarantees of transparency and openness

Regulations that are not officially published for public shall not entail legal consequences as they have not entered into force and cannot serve as a basis for regulating investment relations or application of any sanctions to investors for failure to comply with the requirements contained therein.

State and local authorities are obliged to publish through the media, including on their official websites, information on their participation and decisions made in the field of investment.

Individuals and legal entities are provided with openness and the possibility of unhindered access to information on the activities of government bodies and public authorities in the field and the decisions they make in the field of investment activity.

Protection of investments

The state guarantees protection of investments in accordance with the legislation and international treaties of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Investments and other assets of investors cannot be nationalized.

Investments and other assets of investors are not subject to requisitioning (expropriation), with the exception of cases of natural disasters, accidents, epidemics, epizootics and in other circumstances of an emergency nature.

The decision on requisition and expropriation of investments shall be taken by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan subject to to be compliant with the requirements for which requisition or expropriation shall be:

• limited by the minimum size of investments or other assets of investors necessary to solve the problems arising from the cases specified in part three;
• not carried out on a discriminatory basis;
• accompanied by the payment of compensation adequate to the loss. The state acts as a guarantor of the timely implementation of these compensatory payments.

Investor have the right to dispute in court and arbitration, in particular:

• the legality of the purpose used to carry out the requisition (expropriation);
• size of requisition (expropriation);
• assessment of requisitioned (expropriated) investments and other assets;
• compliance of the payment of compensation payable;
• the procedure followed by government and local authorities in the requisition (expropriation).

Investment and investor risk insurance is carried out on a voluntary basis.

Additional guarantees and investment protection measures

Additional guarantees and investment protection measures may include the guarantees by the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, assistance in financing investment projects, the creation of a special tax and payment regimes, state monitoring of the implementation of investment projects and other measures based on investment agreements with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will visit Russia on February 5, the first deputy foreign minister Ilkhom Nematov told RIA Novosti.

UzAuto Motors unveiled four new Chevrolet models in Tashkent - Tahoe, Traverse, Trailblazer and Equinox Wednesday. Sales of Trailblazer will start on December 26, Traverse and Tahoe will go to stores from the beginning of 2020, and Equinox - from March-April, the company’s press service said.

The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will attend the celebration of the 75th anniversary of victory in the Second World War (WWII) on May 9, 2020. The Uzbek leader accepted the invitation of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, the First Deputy Foreign Minister, Ilkhom Nematov told to RIA Novosti.

In an interview to Japan's Nikkei Asian Review, the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that foreign investment into Uzbekistan will reach US$ 7 billion in the year-end.

The next round of Uzbek-Russian political consultations between Foreign ministries took place in Moscow yesterday. The Uzbekistan delegation was headed by the First Deputy Foreign Minister, Ilkhom Nematov and the Russian Delegation was represented by the Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrei Rudenko.

Today, the Chamber of Lawyers hosted a meeting with members of the Chamber and the media to mark the 20th anniversary of the Lawyer magazine, during which, the Speaker of the Chamber made remarks about the shortcomings in the industry and the years of recession.

Shohruh Shadmanov, aka Shohruh rapper, began a political career. He was elected as a deputy to the Chilonzor distrcit deputies’ council.

By a presidential decree of December 24, from January 1, 2020, a visa-free regime will be in force for foreign citizens who hold UN passports (red Laissez-Passer biometric passports), who will be staying in the country for up to 30 days, the Ministry of Justice said.

Today, the Information and Mass Communications Agency hosted a press conference to discuss the implemented measures and future tasks for ensuring road safety. At the event, the Deputy Interior Minister, Azizbek Ikramov said that starting from January 1, 2020, the traffic police officer will use body cameras to perform their duties.

After a long hiatus, Andijan International Airport resumed operations, the State Committee for Tourism said. In line with the authorization from the Uzbek aviation authorities, on December 22, the Russian IrAero launched Moscow to Andijan flights on Superjet-100.

Improvements to Uzbekistan’s election law and greater acceptance of freedom of expression are to be welcomed, but did not offset the absence of opposition parties, a continuing lack of respect for fundamental rights, and some serious irregularities on election day, international observers to the parliamentary elections said in a preliminary statement published yesterday.

Uz-Autotrans Service, a state owned company, on Monday launched a regular bus service to Moscow. "We launched the first service today. We hope that on the New Year's Eve, we will get a good load," an Uzavtotrans Service official said.

The first compensation certificate in Uzbekistan was awarded by the authorities for building a hotel. The company which built the 3-star Grand Hotel Sogdiana hotel was awarded the 4,080,000,000 soums worth certificate. The hotel has 102 rooms.

UzAuto Motors will unveil four new Chevrolet models on December 25б the company said in a statement. “Through the use of advanced technologies and attractive design, these models will exceed all expectations and will surprise even the most sophisticated” the statement said.

The chief off the CIS observer mission, the chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, Sergey Lebedev recognized the Uzbekistan parliamentary and municipal elections on Sunday as “free, transparent and competitive" at a press conference yesterday.