Salaries of civil servants, personnel of justice, the prosecutor's office and courts, as well as self-government bodies (makhallas) and state support for NGOs and other civil society institutions in Uzbekistan in 2023 increased by a quarter, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in a report.
In 2021, 10.46 trillion soums were contributed for these purposes: the pays of government bodies, justice and the prosecutor’s office - 8.48 trillion soums, judicial bodies - 849.8 billion soums, mahallas and state support for NGOs - 1.13 trillion soums .
In 2022, these expenses increased by 30.5% - to 13.65 trillion soums: government bodies, justice and prosecutors - 11.47 trillion soums (+35.2%), judicial bodies - 1.12 trillion soums (+31 .5%), mahallas and NGOs - 1.07 trillion soums (-5.6%).
Administrative reform was announced in Uzbekistan in December 2022. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev then said that it was big time to switch from “manual control” to a compact and effective management system. The decree and resolution on administrative reform envisaged the reduction of executive bodies accountable to the government from 61 to 28, as well as a reduction in the staff of executive bodies, including management, by a maximum of 30% with the introduction of a “fair wage system.”
The funds saved through personnel cuts were planned to be used to address social problems. Former Deputy Finance Minister Odilbek Isakov highlighted that by reducing government agencies and optimizing their expenses, the state budget would save 2.8 trillion soums.
The budget message for 2024–2026 highlighted that in 2023 the number of employees of justice, courts and prosecutors’ offices decreased over the year from 16.5 thousand to 12.7 thousand. While, the number of government agencies increased from 308 to 310.
Pays for civil service increased to 17 trillion soums, which is 24.5% more than expenses in 2022. The share of these funds in state budget expenditures increased from 5.7% to 6%. While in 2024, they will increase to 19.8 trillion soums (6.3% of all expenses), and in 2025 - to 22.2 trillion soums. Only in 2026 they are expected to decrease to 20.9 trillion soums.
The budget message for 2024–2026 highlight d that in 2023 the number of employees of justice, courts and prosecutors’ offices decreased over the year from 16.5 thousand to 12.7 thousand. At the same time, the number of government agencies increased from 308 to 310.
