The Oliy Majlis’ Legislative Chamber [parliament’s lower house] held a session on 9 November. Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, members of the Uzbek Cabinet of Ministers and heads of national organizations attended the session.

The MPs reviewed Uzbekistan’s draft state budget for 2008 and a concept of a draft Tax Code of Uzbekistan. Rustam Azimov, deputy prime minister and the Uzbek finance minister, and A. Ahadov, chairman of the parliamentary committee on budget and economic reforms made speeches on the issues.

After answering questions, they discussed in detail the blueprint of the country’s main financial document. Representatives of all political parties’ factions took the floor during the discussion. The MPs noted that forecasts for the macroeconomic indicators for 2008 have been worked out taking into account ensuring a stable and balanced growth rate, structural modernization of the economy, technical and technological renewal of the economy’s key sectors, further liberalization of the tax policy, creating maximum favourable conditions for business and all-round attraction of foreign investment. At the same time, the document envisages state expenses for social programmes aimed at gradual growth of citizens’ incomes, further increase in the quality of services in the systems of education and health care, as well as at ensuring social protection of vulnerable strata of the population.

Taking into account all the aforementioned, the Legislative Chamber endorsed the 2008 state budget of Uzbekistan and adopted a relevant resolution.

MPs also discussed a draft tax code.