Business Corruption in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is one of the most corrupt countries in the world: Corruption is endemic and penetrates all levels of the business and social environment. Foreign companies regularly experience expropriations, politically motivated inspections and discrimination by authorities.
Bribery
and
nepotism
are widespread throughout the Uzbek public administration, and extortion is common. The judiciary is significantly influenced by the presidential administration, leading to opaque court rulings. In addition,
abuse of office
,
kickbacks
and favouritism regularly occur during court proceedings, making dispute settlement mechanisms very inefficient. Media freedoms, the freedom of expression and an active civil society are almost non-existent. The anti-corruption legal framework is deficient and lacks regulations on conflicts of interest, gifts and hospitality,
facilitation payments
, public procurement, and whistleblower protection. Uzbekistan's
Criminal Code
, which forbids major forms of corruption, is poorly enforced. High-level government officials act with impunity, and the presidential family is currently involved in high-profile international corruption investigations.
June 2015
GAN Integrity Solutions