May 12, 2014
Building on Peace and Cohesion in the National Advancement and Prosperity. 2
Less Taxes, More Investments. 4
Mukhammadriza mirab ibn Erniyazbek Agakhi6
Press-service of MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan
POLICY
Building on Peace and Cohesion in the National Advancement and Prosperity
Initiated by President Islam Karimov, the 9th of May is widely celebrated in Uzbekistan as the Day of Memory and Reverence, as a national holiday.
Remembrance about human being is sacred, and the human honor and dignity is dear. The essence and significance of the Day of Memory and Reverence marked extensively at the initiative of the head of our state are permeated with these humanistic principles.
This remarkable date constitutes a good tradition whereby our people honor the memory of millions of our compatriots who fell in the war, and we display high respect and convey reverence to the living veterans who made their input into securing the peace and prosperity of the Motherland.
These days we inadvertently think of the heavy losses, hardships and miseries that had to be endured to secure the current peaceful and harmonious life, the clear sky above us, the abundance and prosperity. We even deeper realize the significance of independence, peace and tranquility.
The 18 April 2014 decree of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to support the participants of the Second World War has been another bright manifestation of the reverence toward the memory of our compatriots who fell in the war, of respect toward our fathers and grandfathers who returned from the battlefield, toward our mothers who proved persevering vis-à-vis all the thorniest hardships of those years. In line with that decree, participants and the disabled of the war were rewarded – in festive circumstances – with money awards and holiday gifts. Officials of governmental and social organizations visited them to provide them with material and moral support.
On May 9, the metropolitan Memory Square is crowded as never before. Veterans of war and labor, senators and lower house members, government officials, military servicemen and the wider public came here to pay tribute to the sacrosanct date.
Tender music aired above the square.
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov arrived here to take part in the occasion.
Under the sounds of military orchestra, the head of our state laid a wreath to the monument of the Mourning Mother.
The President of the country honored the memory of our fellow countrymen and women who sacrificed their lives at the Second World War.
“Today, our nation, the entire people of Uzbekistan widely celebrates the splendid date – the Day of Memory and Reverence, the 69th anniversary of the Victory over fascism,” Islam Karimov said at an aftermath conversation with representatives of mass media. “These days, we all pay homage to the memory and remember those who fell at the battlefield in the name of this current peaceful life.
“I express my sincere respect to those living, dear and revered aksakals and mothers, those who took part in the war, as well as to all our compatriots who made their own contribution to the Victory with their selfless labor and effort in the home front, and I wish them on behalf of all our people and myself a sound health and a long life,” the President said.
Comprehensive support for our veterans, thanks to who the wellbeing and affluence reign in our homes, creation of everything necessary for them to live in dignity, display of attention and care for them is our human duty.
Nearly 70 years have passed since the end of the bloodiest and most terrible war in the history of the human race, a war that brought about colossal misery and losses, pain and grievance over deprivation. There is scarcely a family in our country that was left aside of the flame of those brutal years.
“I believe we should refer to statistics time and again, constantly keep them in memory to remind our children, the younger generation, about them,” the head of our state stressed.
From about 6.5 million people residing in Uzbekistan prior to the war, more than 1.5 million left for the battlefield. Put it in other words, around a third of our population then participated in the hostilities with arms and shed their blood.
Some 500 thousand of our compatriots died in that horrific war, while thousands more went missing and many more returned home maimed.
These figures are indicative of the fact how tremendous was the contribution our people made to the triumph over fascism. No one should ever forget about that.
“Talking about this, we can be infinitely proud of the selflessness, courage and nobility of our nation who proved firm in overcoming all the miseries and hardships of wartime, who labored in the home front, who shared their roof and the last remaining slice of bread with people evacuated to Uzbekistan, with the thousands of orphans who had lost their parents. It is these kinds of thorniest years that the spiritual might of our people is brilliantly manifest, its brightest human qualities like kindness, compassion, generosity and magnanimity are evident,”Uzbekistan’s leader pointed out.
Therefore, in order to perpetuate the memory of the fallen and those who did not return from the war, their names are inscribed with gold letters at memory squares established in the capital city of our Motherland and those across the regions, and 16 years ago we announced the 9th of May as the Day of Memory and Reverence, and today the life itself confirms time and again how correct that decision was.
Years will pass, but what is never going to be forgotten is the perpetuation of noble endeavors undertaken by us in the spirit of times and in the name of such gracious ends as the glorification of humanism and the finest of human qualities, reverence toward and preservation of the bright memory of those who served their Motherland with self-sacrifice.
The President of Uzbekistan pointed to the need to be always vigilant and attentive which is imperative in preventing such tragedies and evil.
Unfortunate as it is, confrontation and conflicts have been intensifying in various corners of the world and around us.
What we cannot but be concerned about is the fact that bloodshed is taking place in some regions, conflicts and enmity are intensifying, fascism is letting itself known again, while such menacing threats as nationalism and chauvinism are gaining ground in the political arena – in a word, the challenges and threats to peace and stability have been gaining in strength.
Without any doubt, every person currently observing so dangerous a situation unfolding around the world, including such developments in the post-Soviet space, wishes that yesterday’s friends not become enemies, while the emergent confrontation not grow into a war.
In such intricate and tense circumstances, we stand for an unconditional compliance with the major principles stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations and international law norms; our stance is with the exclusion of violence and the use of force.
It is essential to address the emerging confrontations and conflicts of interests with political and peaceful means only, and rule out the threat to the political sovereignty of countries and the inviolability of their borders.
This is our firm stance, President Islam Karimov asserted.
All the peoples of the world desire one thing, namely, that the war never and in any form repeats itself. Such aspiration and goal is geared to the interests of all the peoples around the world. After all, no people on the planet desires for war. Our close neighbor, the people of Afghanistan, also longs for a peaceful life.
We wish for peace and stability in the neighboring Afghanistan. Uzbekistan advances its cooperation with that country on a bilateral basis.
“I deem it necessary here to put it one again,” Islam Karimov said, “that our people need peace and tranquility. Our nation that has experienced much throughout its history, understands pretty well that only in a country that enjoys peace and harmony, benevolence and mutual respect, can prosperity be achieved, can an affluent and happy life be built, can the kindest and noblest ends and aspirations be furthered.”
The times we are living demand that we always be vigilant and attentive, safeguard our peaceful life as the apple of the eye. We ought to persistently struggle for peace and a tranquil life.
“I am convinced that we should look back and come up with a detached assessment of the life path we have made, the one that has been characterized with hardships. We have passed an enormous school of life, the one that we had barely known before. Today, along with the growing quality of living standards of the people, our compatriots are transforming noticeably, and so is their world outlook, mindset, their political and social activity, realization of the meaning of life,” the President suggested. “In other words, our contemporary compatriots differ cardinally from the generation of the 1990s.”
Expounding on this subject matter, it is noteworthy that notwithstanding the tests and difficulties that we have had to overcome in the past years, we have never forgotten that we are a people with a high sense of pride, honor and dignity; we have not become oblivious to our history and to the fact as to whose posterity we are. And to further the gracious goals we set for ourselves, we have made and will make the best of our efforts to be always ready to protect our people from whatsoever threats and challenges.
Owing to our noble and incomparable people, Uzbekistan has been advancing, along with a handful of countries across the world, with high and steady rates; the standards and quality of life of our people has been persistently growing, and our land is coming to be ever prosperous and a more comfortable place to live. In a word, we have been making remarkable accomplishments admired by many and living with firm confidence in our future days.
We see the principal factor in the achievement of our great future and our splendid objectives in our youth not inferior to anyone in anything, the generation that is full with youthful ardor and energy, thirst for knowledge, Islam Karimov said.
The announcement of the current year as the one of the Health of the Child will indisputably boost the wide-ranging efforts undertaken by us up to a qualitatively new level and will yield its remarkable outcomes.
“I came to believe in the practical realization of these aspirations of ours during the recent trip to Karakalpakstan, during conversations with people working at one of the most impressive construction sites – the Surgil Gas Chemical Complex.
“Working in the construction of that unique four-billion-dollar complex that is unprecedented in the world, specialists from South Korea, who have been to many countries prior to their current assignment, referred to our youths with admiration.
“I cannot forget especially the words of a South Korean manager. He told me that they had taken part in the construction of many facilities in various countries, but they had never seen such a goal-minded, intellectually advanced and initiative-inclined youth as that in Uzbekistan. He said he admired the pace with which the Uzbek youths grasp the most intricate machinery and technologies.
“I think such an acknowledgement boosts in all us the sense of profound pride.
“Indeed, if we look at our youths – a backbone and hope of our future days and who are assuming a growingly decisive role – our belief that we will definitely achieve all our high ends, noble goals, hopes and aspirations gets cemented to an even greater extent.
“We ask for peace and harmony from the Lord in the Highest, and we ask Him to protect our nation from misfortunes and disasters.
“In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my congratulations to our esteemed veterans and all the people of Uzbekistan on today’s glorious holiday, and wish a sound health, long life, abundance and wellbeing to your homes,” President Islam Karimov said.
The monument of the Mourning Mother got loaded with flowers that day long. Through to the late hours of the day, the Memory Square continued to be packed with people willing to pay homage to compatriots who sacrificed their lives for the peace and freedom of the native land and the bright future of posterity.
(Source: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
BUSINESS CLIMATE
Less Taxes, More Investments
Contemporary globalised world stirs competitiveness between companies. To be successful in both domestic and foreign markets one should develop, monitor the latest trends, attract investments and new technologies. Though, this is incomplete winning formula. State taxation policy that stands as the principal mechanism for the business initiatives stimulus is one of the key facets.
Experts mark that the taxation system suffered from stereotyped thinking and imagination, which was misshaped by entrepreneurs. Most of the beginning businessmen primarily believed rumors about relations between tax bodies and entrepreneurs and escaped a mere consultancy. Such attitude gradually fades. This is one of the principal achievements of tax authorities of Uzbekistan. They succeed in not only creating an effective system on the development of the national economy, but also building a favorable image in entrepreneurs.
Basics of the current tax system of Uzbekistan laid in 1990s, when the overall reformation of the system carried out led by the State Tax Committee established for the regulation of financial relations between business and the state during commercializing. Taxes and the whole taxation system is the powerful device of management of the economy. Effective operation of the whole state system depends on the properly shaped taxation system. New tax system therefore was called not only provide the state with financial resources for the implementation of prioritized economic and social objectives, but also to be the backbone to facilitate entrepreneurship.
Today products labeled “Made in Uzbekistan” are well-known in many countries of the world. The nation’s gross domestic product has been steadily growing at 8%. In many ways, these achievements are a merit of effective operation of tax authorities. Another indicator of the success of their activities is the economy’s resilience during the global financial crisis and its negative effects, which are still plagued by many developed and developing countries.
The dynamism of the domestic tax system is also due to the mobility of tax rates. The state, keeping abreast of developments in the global economic environment, adjusts policy support through tax preferences different sectors – businesses implementing projects for the localization of products, exporters, family and home-based businesses and other destinations.
Many experts emphasize that taxes in Uzbekistan have long ago turned from a burden to a stimulus for further development. This fact is especially evident on the example of the domestic manufacturing industry, which by providing incentives and preferences could rearm their power to introduce advanced equipment and start producing products that are competitive on the domestic and foreign markets.
Recent examples of such a policy include the extension until January 1, 2016, of tax breaks for a number of companies specializing in the production of non-food consumer goods. Experts note that the exemption from income tax, property tax, single tax payment for micro and small businesses, the payment of mandatory contributions to the National Road Fund is allowed to significantly increase production and expand the range of non-food consumer goods on the domestic market to replace the more expensive imported products quality domestic counterparts. This was achieved due to the fact that the benefits released by the funds have been directed to the creation of new enterprises, as well as modernization, reconstruction, technical and technological modernization of existing facilities, acquisition of high-quality raw materials, compensation of investments and repayment of loans.
Equally important is the role of the fiscal policy in attracting foreign investment. In the past, the country had used US$13b of capital investment increasing by 11.3% compared with 2012. In this case amounted to US$3b foreign investments, of which 72% is FDI. Figures clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the fiscal policy and economic policy of the country. To attract foreign investment a unique opportunity has been created. In three regions of the country implemented an effective mechanism to attract funds from foreign partners through special zones – FIEZ Navoi, SIZs Angren and Jizzakh. They have become a kind of investment beacons – they help realize dozens of joint technological projects, produce a wide range of goods from food to cell phones and communications equipment – and a successful platform for the development of public-private partnership. For example, investors are not only exempt from a lot of taxes, but do not spend their money on the creation of the necessary transport, engineering and communications infrastructure, which is being constructed by the state.
One of the main tasks at this stage is the maximum application of information and communication technologies in the work of tax authorities. Today in this direction made significant strides. A large number of electronic digital signatures (EDS) issued to entrepreneurs who use them to successfully pass the tax and statistical reporting. Implementation of EDS allowed to make relations between the state and business more transparent financial savings both entrepreneurs and tax authorities, as well as to minimize direct contact between the inspector and the reporting structure.
Another interesting technology is the interactive service to issue an extract from the schedule of inspections of businesses. Using it, a taxpayer can know whether he/she is in the list of companies, where a routine inspection in the current year is planned, on the date of inspection and monitoring bodies which participate in it. According to the tax authorities, the interactive service is primarily aimed at ensuring transparency of information on planned audits conducted by regulatory authorities, and the prevention of illegal checks. Use it as easily as possible to any entrepreneur not even having a digital signature was able to learn interesting information. A taxpayer simply must enter in the appropriate section on the official website of the State Tax Committee www.soliq.uz its identification number. In addition, in the “Coordination of inspections” section can be found regulations concerning this sphere, uniform checklist regulatory authorities, recommendations for improvements in the activities of businesses, regulatory bodies list, schedule inspections for the current month.
All of this work would be incomplete without a large-scale information campaign. In today’s world, where information emerges as one of the most important goods and discrepancies slogan “the informed is the forearmed”, this process is becoming increasingly important. Unfortunately, we still found instances where domestic entrepreneurs can apply for benefits and preferences, but through ignorance do not use the available opportunities. To remedy this situation, the tax authorities are conducting serious work. In all regions, organizes specialized seminars and training courses for accountants, corporate executives and representatives of government agencies, where they learn about the tax laws, teach skills with specialized programs, the use of interactive services at the time statements. According to tradition, the capital’s Uzexpocenter holds several times a year seminars and exhibitions on changes in tax policy. Leading experts and specialists discuss together trends and prospects in the sphere.
One of these events was held in Tashkent last week. The focus of the audience were two documents, which many analysts have called no less than the foundation of a new stage of development of domestic business – decrees and resolutions of the President of Uzbekistan on additional measures to further improve the investment climate and business environment in the Republic of Uzbekistan and on Measures to further improve procedures related to business activities and the provision of public services. As participants noted, documents aimed at further improvement of the business environment, the creation of a favorable business climate, a radical improvement of the business environment, increasing employment in the private sector by creating new jobs.
A number of interesting rules applies to the tax field. For example, the tax authorities will not check small businesses that timely pay taxes and other obligatory payments, and provide sustainable growth and profitability, until January 1, 2017. Moreover, there is a new order of the single land tax established. Thus, 30% of the annual amount of tax will be paid before September 1 of the reporting year, and the rest – till December 1. It also extended the duration of the certificate key digital signature from 12 to 24 months, which will significantly reduce the costs of business.
Noticeable changes have occurred in communication businesses, banks and tax authorities. In particular, abolished is the practice of charging fees for banking services when paying small businesses with their accounts of taxes and other obligatory payments. Now freezing of accounts of business entities in commercial banks in case of failure on their tax, financial reporting and their absence at the stated address is provided by state tax authorities only by a court decision. This procedure aims to reduce the interference in the activities of regulatory bodies and economic entities to protect their legitimate interests.
The tax system of Uzbekistan will face new challenges ahead. Experts predict that in modern conditions investment flows will gradually change its Asian vector. This process is already witnessed a slow of the pace of development of economies of China, India, South Korea and other countries in the region. So, on the one hand, it will be necessary to develop new mechanisms to attract foreign investment, to support exporting companies, and on the other – to stimulate the development of domestic consumption, the creation of import-substituting industries. And this task to the tax authorities on the shoulder, many experts believe, as today they are staffed by young professionals who are ready to solve the challenges.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)
The International Conference “The historical heritage of scientists and thinkers of the Medieval East, its role and significance for the modern civilization”
Mukhammadriza mirab ibn Erniyazbek Agakhi
(1809 Kiyat – 1874, Khiva)
Statesman, poet, historian, translator
Biography
Agakhi came from a noble family, whose members often held the rank of Mirabeau. Mukhammadrizo, orphaned early, brought up by his uncle, the famous poet and historian Shirmuhammadom Muniz. Studied in one of Khiva madrasah. A large role in shaping the world and the choice of creative ways Agakhi played Muniz and his entourage.
After the death in 1829, Muniz Agakhi inherited his post Mirabeau, and held this position until his death, with a break in 1851-1855. Mirab post was one of the 32 top officials in the Khanate of Khiva and its owners were part of the State Council.
Agakhi had mastered the Persian language as well as Arabic and Turkish. He was well acquainted with classical and contemporary literature in Persian and Turkic languages . He particularly appreciated the creativity of Alisher Navoi.
His sofa ( collection of poems ) consists of 18,000 hemistichs. Very popular poems Agakhi enjoyed during his lifetime. During the rule of Muhammad Rahim Khan of Khiva Khan II (1864-1910), who wrote under the pseudonym Firuz Agakhi and considers his mentor in poetry, sofa Agakhi was twice published in court lithography.
Agakhi completed the voluminous historical work on the history of Khorezm Firdavs al- Iqbal ( “Garden of prosperity” ), initiated by his uncle Muniz.
Peru belongs Agakhi transfer nearly 19 works, 18 of which have been translated into Uzbek language from the Persian language, and one – Turkish.
Major works
1. Sofa ( Taviz al- ashikin – “Talisman Lovers” ).
2. Riyaz al- Dawla ( “The Garden of Happiness” ). Contains a history of the reign of Khiva Khan Allah Kuli Khan (1825-1842 gg.)
3. Jami ‘al – vakiat and Sultani ( “Meeting Sultanovs events”). Contains the history of the Khiva Khanate in 1842-1856 gg.
Contribution to world science
Five historical works written Agakhi independently, collectively illustrate the history of Khorezm and Central Asia from 1825 to 1872
Global recognition
Heritage Agakhi actively studied by scientists around the world. The original text of his historical writing Jami al- Sultani vakiat and published in Turkey. In a multi-volume edition of “Encyclopedia of Islam” (« Encyclopedia of Islam” ), there is an article devoted Agakhi.
(Source: msth.uz)