OSCE Centre in Tashkent supports budget transparency training for community representatives

TASHKENT, 23 March 2006 - About 50 representatives from Uzbekistan's self-governing communities known as mahallas began a three-day course today to learn about budgeting, accounting and financial reporting. The course, supported by the OSCE Centre in Tashkent, was initiated by the National Mahalla Foundation.

The training aims to give community leaders more financial and legal skills needed to manage their communities more efficiently and raises awareness about the leaders' rights and responsibilities.

"We are glad that our support to this project will help promote efficient management in self-governing communities and strengthen their capacity," said Ambassador Miroslav Jenca, Head of the OSCE Centre in Tashkent.

Nigmatulla Abdullaev, deputy chairman of the National Mahalla Foundation, added:

"It is extremely important to provide mahalla leaders with accounting skills so that they can comply with national legislation and financial procedures."

The mahallas are traditional structures of Uzbek society. The country's 10,000 or so mahallas are deeply involved in community activities and could play a leading role in helping to resolve the communities' social, economic and environmental problems