The meeting was opened by the candidate’s authorised representative, K.Okbutayev.

Candidate for President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev made a speech setting out the main points of his electoral programme.

The programme contains tasks and goals directed towards implementing state policy and principles of development specified by the country’s First President Islam Karimov, specifically raising the country’s economy to a new level and improving the people’s quality of life. Specific measures are defined to improve the system of state and public administration, reform the judicial system, strengthen the country’s economic might and raise its competitiveness on the world market, give broad freedom to the small business and private entrepreneurship sphere, expand the income basis of local budgets, develop the social sphere, provide modern housing to people, support young people, raise the quality of medical treatment and services.

Special attention is paid in the programme to such issues as continuing the implementation of the idea “From a strong state to a strong civil society”, developing effective mechanisms of public control, further raising the role and significance of the mahalla (neighbourhood) institution in society, ensuring the reliable protection of citizens’ rights and liberties, firm guarantees of the system of justice, raising the law culture in society, strengthening citizens’ respect for the law and intolerance of offences.

It was noted during the meeting that Sirdaryo Region is developing consistently as are as all the other regions of the country. A programme of 9 March 2015 drawn up in accordance with instructions from the country’s First President to further improve the drainage system, to improve ameliorative conditions and to lower the level of groundwater as well as develop the engineering, communication and social infrastructure of the town of Guliston for 2015-2019 is a guidance document for action to carry out large-scale creative work in the region. New buildings are being built in towns and villages, and people’s living standards are rising.

The Sirdaryo thermal power station, the Sirdaryo branch of the “Jizzakh” free economic zone, the Reka Med Farm joint venture and other industrial facilities have an important place in the country’s economy. Production capacities are increasing with every passing year, and import-substituting and export-oriented products are being produced.

The meeting took place in the format of video conference. Voters who gathered in towns and district centres expressed their opinions on the electoral programme of the candidate.

The chief of the Guliston district department of the republican centre of spirituality, Ye.Madaminov; a labour veteran, R.Abdurahmonov; the deputy director-general of the Temur Med Farm LLC, Sh.Ziyayev, an international grand chess master, Sh.Kurbonova; a Zulfiya state award laureate, M.Abdurasulova; a teacher of the Mirzaobod socio-economic vocational college, N.Meliboyeva; the chief of the Sirdaryo district department of the republican centre of spirituality, A.Mirzakhmedov; and others have said that steady growth rates are being maintained in the country and that Uzbekistan’s prestige in the international community is rising. They called on voters to take an active part in the forthcoming 4 December elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.