By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

The following article was contributed by Avazbek Kholbekov, expert of the Development Strategy Center, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication through the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul. –Ed.

Over the past five years in Uzbekistan, a number of laws have been adopted in our country to ensure the priority of private property and strengthen its legal protection.

Most importantly, based on the principle of "From Action Strategy to Development Strategy" there was adopted the "Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026", as a logical continuation of Action Strategy. In the document, turning the principles of justice and the rule of law into the most basic and necessary condition for development in the country was defined as one of the most important directions. Several necessary objectives were envisaged for this.

In particular, the goal of reliable protection of the inviolability of property rights and the restriction of illegal interference of state bodies in property relations has been established, and strengthening the guarantees of private property and protection, unconditional provision of property rights, including land plot, establishing the priority of private property as the main principle, introduction of a system of protection of the rights of the person who bought property relying on official information of the state office are from among them.

In this regard, an important political document for Uzbekistan, which is currently in full swing, that is, in the draft Constitution, states that no one can be deprived of his home without a court decision and in contrary to the law, it is guaranteed that the owner who has been deprived of his home will be compensated for the value of the home and the damages he has suffered in the cases and procedures stipulated by the law in advance and at an equal value (market value). 

Of course, the introduction of such a norm in the future will be a great catalyst in increasing the well-being of the population, to further support entrepreneurship in our country, legally guarantee ownership relations, and strengthen the inviolability of private property. Therefore, in the course of constitutional reforms, relations in the sphere of citizens' property will be legislatively consolidated, and norms related to guaranteeing the rights of the population to housing through the constitution will be strengthened.

It should be noted that in the preparation of the draft Constitution, along with the opinions and suggestions of our people, international legal documents and the experience of more than 190 countries were studied. 

In Uzbekistan, ensuring the inviolability of private property, protecting it from various aggressions, creating all the necessary conditions for maintaining and increasing private property, and supporting owners - is the most important criterion of a legal democratic state and civil society.