Introduction of information and analytical platforms as an important tool for the prevention of corruption offenses in the Republic of Uzbekistan

The active penetration of the Internet and IT technologies into all spheres of human life, characterized as the fourth wave of the industrial revolution or "Industry 4.0", contributed to their active use to solve key problems of the state (improving the quality of public administration, ensuring the openness of state bodies, minimizing the human factor in decision-making, strengthening public control over the actions of officials, etc.) including in the field of anti-corruption.

It should be noted that in Uzbekistan, an important aspect of optimizing public administration is digitalization, which transforms public services, thereby increasing the quality and efficiency of the public sector, ensures openness and transparency of management processes, strengthens citizens' trust in public authorities, promotes effective disclosure of corruption offenses, contributes to the formation of an atmosphere of intolerance to corruption in society, etc.

The Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On combating corruption" on January 3.01.2017 defined as the main directions of state policy in the field of combating corruption: raising the legal consciousness and legal culture of the population, the formation of an intolerant attitude to corruption in society; implementation of measures to prevent corruption in all spheres of the life of the state and society, as well as timely detection, suppression of corruption offenses, elimination of their consequences, causes and conditions that contribute to them, ensuring the principle of inevitability of responsibility for corruption offenses. The implementation of the tasks set is impossible without the use of modern ICT and appropriate information and analytical platforms in the field of anti-corruption.

In 2017, a new version of the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services began to operate (my.gov.uz), in 2018, in order to attract and consolidate investors' funds for the implementation of projects in the field on the terms of public-private partnership, including those related to the introduction of blockchain technology, the Digital economy development support fund "Digital trust."

The Anti-Corruption Agency, together with the Prosecutor General's Office and other interested bodies, is introducing modern information platforms on anti-corruption.

The first type of platforms are aimed directly at improving the procedures for providing public services, minimizing the human factor and preventing corruption factors. As an example, we can cite a platform that provides the introduction of the most popular public services, minimizing corruption factors, and reducing the discretionary powers of officials.

Thus, in order to further improve the quality of the provision of electronic public services, a Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of 15.09.2017 was adopted. "On measures to improve the procedure for the provision of electronic public services through the Unified Portal of Interactive Public services of the Republic of Uzbekistan" No. 728.

The unified portal, functioning on the basis of the "Electronic Government" system, is a single access point to 253 electronic public services provided by state bodies in the form of information and interactive public services.

In order to simplify and unify the procedure for organizing and conducting electronic online auctions on the electronic trading platform "E-auksion", increase the openness and transparency of processes, reliable protection of the rights of participants, as well as create facilities for public participation in auctions. The Presidential Decree "On measures to simplify the procedure for conducting electronic online auctions, increase transparency and guarantee reliable protection of the rights of their participants" No. PP-5197 was adopted, on the basis of which the unified electronic trading platform "E-ijro auksion" was renamed the electronic trading platform "E-auksion".

In order to ensure the necessary transparency, accelerate the process of developing and approving draft regulatory legal acts, and prevent corruption in this area, on 08.08.2018, the Presidential Decree "On approving the Concept of Improving rule-making activities" No. UP-5505 was adopted, according to which a Unified electronic system for developing and approving draft regulatory legal acts "E-qaror" was launched.".

In accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On additional measures to ensure the openness of the activities of state bodies and organizations, as well as the effective implementation of public control" dated 06.16.2021, the portal "Open Budget" was launched.

Since January 1, 2021, the License information system with a special mobile application covering all processes related to licensing procedures, issuing permits and notifications has been launched through the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services.

The second type of platforms are focused directly on improving anti-corruption tools and measures, identifying persons who have committed corruption offenses.

Since 2021. The Prosecutor General's Office, together with interested ministries and departments, ensured the connection of all bodies conducting pre-investigation checks to the software module of the Unified Information System "Electronic criminal law statistics", which allows registration of statements, messages and other information about crimes in electronic form and maintaining a unified electronic record of the results of their consideration.

The procedure for electronic submission of reports of district prosecutor's offices to the "Unified reporting portal" has been introduced.

On September 7, 2020, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On measures to radically improve the system of land accounting and state cadastres" No. UP-6061 was adopted, providing for the full-fledged maintenance of a Unified system of state cadastres and the implementation of effective cadastral supervision. From October 1, 2020, decisions, protocols of auctions and tenders, notarized transactions and other documents providing for the emergence, modification, alienation, restriction and termination of rights to land plots come into force after state registration in the National Geographic Information System of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In accordance with the Presidential Decree of June 29, 2020 "On additional measures to improve the anti-corruption system in the Republic of Uzbekistan", on August 5, 2021, the Anti-Corruption Agency launched an information platform E-Anticor.uz., through which you can report the extortion of a bribe.

Based on the consideration of these appeals and the analysis of corruption cases identified in various fields, the agency takes measures to eliminate the factors contributing to the emergence of corruption. Including the development and implementation of proposals to change, repeal or amend legislative norms that lead to corruption.

As of May 2022, on the electronic platform E-Anticor.uz. 237 appeals were received, 55 of them were considered, 182 appeals are being considered.

The third type is formed by platforms aimed at preventing corruption directly in specific areas Digitalization of the judiciary As a result of the implementation of the Program for the introduction of modern information and communication technologies into the activities of courts for 2017-2020, approved by Presidential Decree No. PP-3250 of August 30, 2017, systems for remote access to courts, participation in court sessions using a video conferencing system, automatic distribution of cases between judges, publication of court decisions on the Internet, sending enforcement documents for enforcement in electronic form.

In order to digitalize the activities of judicial authorities on 03.09.2020, the Presidential Decree "On measures to digitalize the activities of judicial authorities" No. PP-4818 was adopted, which defined the tasks of the next stage of digitalization of the activities of judicial authorities: expanding the types of interactive electronic services provided to citizens and business entities, ensuring online monitoring of the process of 16 considering each appeal, creating opportunities for free use of interactive services in courthouses; implementation of the Complex of information systems "Adolat", which allows the possibility of submitting lawsuits, applications and complaints to the courts exclusively in electronic form, Digitalization of the construction sector.

In order to eliminate corruption and bureaucratic obstacles in the construction sector, to ensure transparency of all stages of the construction process for the public through the widespread introduction of information and communication technologies by Presidential Decree of November 20, 2019. "On measures for the widespread introduction of information and communication technologies in the field of construction" No. PP-4464, the national information system "Transparent Construction" was introduced into the activities of the Ministry of Construction of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a Geographical Information System (geoportal) was launched on March 1, 2020 "State Urban Planning Cadastre of the Republic of Uzbekistan".

Digitalization of customs authorities.

In order to reform customs administration, further improve and increase the efficiency of customs authorities, form a "digital customs", prevent corruption in the customs system, as well as accelerate the implementation of generally accepted international norms and standards in the field of customs 05.07.2020 Presidential Decree No. UP-6005 “On reforming customs administration and improving the activities of the State Customs Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan” was adopted, which served as a roadmap for meaningful reform of customs authorities and prevention of corruption in the customs sphere.

Work is underway to introduce automated information systems "Automated release", "Customs Audit" and "Electronic Transit (E-tranzit)".

On February 17, 2022, at a meeting chaired by the President on further reforming customs and transforming it into a corruption-free sphere, changes in the customs sphere were announced: the cargo declaration will be issued outside the posts, automated identification of corruption risks will be established when determining codes and costs, employees will rotate every three years, a system for declaring their income and property will be introduced, and other.

Digitalization of notary bodies.

In order to transfer the institute of notaries to a digital model, radically simplify the processes of performing notarial actions, increase the efficiency of providing notarial services, eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and obstacles in civil law relations, including in the free disposal and use by private property owners of their property, minimize corruption factors in this area September 9, 2019 the automated information system "Notary" has been introduced, which allows monitoring of all notary actions through an online information system, prevention and termination of illegal actions and abuses, Digitalization of the healthcare sector.

In order to digitalize the healthcare sector and introduce a single set of information systems, reduce unnecessary procedures in the management process, improve the quality of services to the population, ensure the efficiency of medical workers, as well as the full implementation of digital transformation programs, on February 2, 2021, the Presidential Decree "On measures for the effective organization of digitalization in the healthcare sector" No. PP-5000 was adopted in compliance with which introduced a single complex of information systems "Electronic healthcare".

Accordingly, it can be stated that in Uzbekistan, the effective introduction of ICT into the process of public administration makes it possible to depersonalize and standardize the main administrative processes, prevent the occurrence of corruption crimes, improve the quality of public services and increases the degree of trust of citizens in the state.

At the present stage of reforms, the following are relevant: creating conditions for building the appropriate infrastructure, the necessary funds and labor resources. improving digital literacy of employees of state and economic management bodies; expansion of the use of automated information systems for the collection and processing of accounting and statistical information, operational, for investigative practice, forensic, managerial, for expert activities and law enforcement automated data processing systems, automated information retrieval systems, automated information and reference systems, automated workstations, automated control systems, expert systems; expanding the implementation of a new generation of anti-corruption solutions, #NextGenAntiCorruption, related to the UNDP #NextGenGov initiative and the advanced UNDP program – Accelerator Labs, taking measures to prevent the misuse of innovations and technologies, their use for personal gain in the commission of corruption crimes.