РИГА, 3 ноября. /ИА "Дунё"/. В ведущих газете Латвии "Сегодня" и электронном информационно-аналитическом портале опубликована статья под заголовком “Узбекистан остался либерально-демократическим”, сообщает корреспондент ИА "Дунё".

В статье сообщается, что 27 октября прошли выборы депутатов Законодательной палаты Олий Мажлиса Узбекистана, победителем которых объявлена правящая Либерально–демократическая партия (УзЛиДеП).

"Согласно предварительным результатам выборов УзЛиДеП набрала 35,75% голосов и получила 64 места в Законодательной палате парламента. На втором месте — Демократическая партия «Миллий тикланиш» (18,82%). Социал–демократическая партия «Адолат» получила 16,20% голосов, Народно–демократическая партия Узбекистана (НДПУ) — 17,11%, Экологическая партия Узбекистана — 13,12%", - пишет автор.

Отмечается, что по данным ЦИК, явка на выборах составила 74,72%. За выборами наблюдали более 850 зарубежных наблюдателей, в том числе и из Латвии.

"В этом году выборы впервые прошли на основе мажоритарно–пропорциональной системы. В этой системе избирательные округа делятся на одномандатные и единый избирательный округ. 75 депутатов нижней палаты парламента избраны от одномандатных округов по мажоритарной системе, остальные 75 — по пропорциональной, то есть на основе голосов, отданных политическим партиям", - подчеркивается в статье.

Согласно информации, перейти к смешанной избирательной системе для повышения роли политических партий еще в марте предложил Президент Узбекистана Шавкат Мирзиёев, встречаясь с депутатами. После референдума о Конституции в новой редакции глава государства 8 мая подписал указ о введении мажоритарно–пропорциональной избирательной системы.

Также автор отмечает, что по сравнению с предыдущими выборами кандидаты значительно помолодели: средний возраст потенциальных депутатов Законодательной палаты составляет 47,2 года, претендентов на кресла депутатов остальных уровней — 44,4 года.

Подчеркивается, что высшее образование имеют 99,3% и 90,3% кандидатов соответственно. "Самой многочисленной группой среди кандидатов стали педагоги: 27,9% от числа стремящихся в парламент и 36% претендующих на кресла в Кенгашах и Жокаргы Кенесе. Много экономистов, инженеров, врачей, правоведов, поменьше предпринимателей, фермеров и представителей других сфер", - сообщают латвийские СМИ.

Шуни маълум қиламизки, интернет тармоқларида жорий йилнинг 10 август куни Литва-Беларусь чегараси “Мядининкай” назорат пунктида Ўзбекистон Республикасида рўйхатдан ўтган юк машинаси контрабанда жиноятида гумонланиб Литванинг тегишли идоралари томонидан ушлангани хақида маълумот тарқалган.

Элчихона томонидан холат бўйича юқорида кўрсатилган назорат пункти ходимлари билан алоқалар ўрнатилган. 

Бугунки кунда Божхона жиноий хизмати томонидан ушбу воқия юзасидан жиноят иши қўзғатилган ва Вильнюс туман прокуратураси томонидан тергов олиб борилмоқда.

Ушбу холат Элчихона томонидан назоратга олинган ва Литванинг тегишли идоралари билан доимий алоқа ўрнатилган.

Вазиятга тўлиқ ойдинлик киритилиши билан қўшимча хабар берилади.

The text of the article is in Uzbek!

RIGA, June 18. /IA Dunyo/. Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Latvia Timur Rakhmanov yesterday presented his credentials to Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, Dunyo news agency's correspondent reported.


The current state and prospects of development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Latvia were discussed during the conversation held within the framework of the ceremony.


The Latvian president praised the state of political dialog and bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Riga and Tashkent. He emphasized that Uzbekistan has become one of Latvia's largest trade and economic partners by the end of 2023.


A high assessment was given to the large-scale reforms carried out in Uzbekistan, noting that their results are welcomed by all EU countries.


Timur Rakhmanov arrived in the Latvian capital on March 13 as Uzbekistan's new ambassador. He replaced Kadambai Sultanov, who served as Uzbekistan's ambassador to Latvia (2019-2024) and at the same time to Lithuania (2021-2024), Finland (2020-2024) and Estonia (2020-2024) with residence in Riga.

The text of the article is in Uzbek!

RIGA, July 9. /Dunyo IA/. A training seminar was held in Latvia for specialists of the Committee for Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Development and Production Center for Breeding of Uzbekistan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The seminar, organized by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Riga in cooperation with the Latvian breeding center "Siguldas", aimed to expand opportunities for livestock breeding through artificial insemination under Uzbekistan’s climatic conditions, introduce modern technologies, and study international experience in this field.

During the seminar, participants received detailed information on Latvia’s best practices in veterinary and livestock management, technologies used in insemination processes, laboratory research, genetic quality assessment, and breeding selection methods.

Following the training, specialists from both countries agreed to further cooperation, joint research, and the organization of seminars on pressing topics.

RIGA, April 29. /IA "Dunyo"/. A delegation of Uzbekistan headed by Deputy Khokim of Fergana region Nuriddin Mamajanov visited Latvia, Dunyo news agency's correspondent reported. Within the framework of the visit, the sides held talks on further development of trade and economic relations, increasing exports of national products and attracting direct investments in our country's economy.

In particular, during the meeting with Riga Deputy Mayor Linda Ozola the prospects of developing relations in trade-economic, investment, tourism, educational and cultural spheres were discussed, as well as an agreement was reached on participation of Fergana region representatives in cultural events to be held in Riga.

The delegation also held talks with Edgars Suna, Deputy Director of the Freeport of Riga (FPR). During the event, the sides discussed the issue of increasing exports of Uzbek products to Latvia and other EU countries, including active utilization of the port's terminal infrastructure. The issues of purchasing or renting warehouses in the territory of the REP by Uzbek entrepreneurs, granting them privileges and preferences were discussed. In turn, Edgars Suna said that the port management is ready to help in this matter. An agreement was reached to sign a memorandum on mutual cooperation between the parties in a short period of time.

Within the framework of the delegation's stay at the Uzbek Trade House in Riga, a B2B meeting between businessmen of the two countries was held. At this event, information about investment and export potential of Uzbekistan, including Fergana region, was presented. As a result of meetings and negotiations, agreements were reached on supplying agricultural products, household chemicals, confectionery and textile products to the Latvian market, and export contracts worth 25 million US dollars were signed.

At the same time, the opening ceremony of the exhibition hall of Fergana region in the Uzbek Trade House was held within the framework of the event.

Members of the delegation also held a meeting in Latvian company "KGS Group" and discussed the establishment of agro-logistic complex in Fergana region. The Latvian side expressed interest in the implementation of this project and readiness to invest 10 million dollars in it.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

The text of the article is in Uzbek!

RIGA, /Dunyo IA/. A delegation of Uzbekistan, led by Bekzod Mamatkulov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BMB HOLDING, visited Latvia to explore potential cooperation across various sectors, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

In particular, during the visit, a meeting was held with Aigars Rostovskis, Vice President of the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Eurochambres) and President of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The meeting included an overview of the activities of companies within the BMB Holding system, covering details about the crops cultivated, products processed, and goods manufactured.

In turn, Aigars Rostovskis discussed the chamber’s and association’s efforts to support entrepreneurs, the business environment, the global market share of association members, and other related topics.

As a result, an agreement was reached to develop multifaceted bilateral cooperation and to organize a meeting with a delegation of European entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan this March.

Eurochambres is the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry. It is one of the largest business representation organizations in Brussels, comprising 45 members (43 national associations of chambers of commerce and industry and 2 transnational chamber organizations) and 1,700 regional and local chambers. Through its European network, it represents the interests of over 20 million enterprises in Europe.

It is worth noting that, the day before, the chairman of the Supervisory Board of BMB Holding Bekzod Mamatkulov held successful negotiations in Poland.

RIGA, May 19. /IA "Dunyo"/. Uzbek Ambassador Timur Rakhmanov has met with Deputy Chairman of Jurmala City Advisory Council Janis Ledins, Dunyo news agency's correspondent reports.

During the talks, the sides discussed issues of expanding cooperation between the regions of Uzbekistan and Latvia in the spheres of trade and economy, science, education, culture and tourism.

The Latvian side was provided with information about the current development of Uzbekistan, economic and social reforms carried out in the country, investment potential and created conditions for doing business.

The representative of Jurmala administration expressed interest in the development of interregional cooperation, including in the sphere of tourism. In this direction, the issue of participation of the delegation of the Jurmala City Administration in the International Tourism Exhibition, which will be held in November in Tashkent, is being considered.

An agreement was reached to hold a presentation of Uzbekistan's tourism potential in July this year - during the opening of the tourist season in Jurmala, for a wider coverage of the public, which will be familiarized with the history, culture and tourism opportunities of our country.



The Latvian side also invited the Uzbek delegation to Jurmala city to hold Days of Uzbekistan in the first half of September.

RIGA, May 11. /IA Dunyo/. Ambassador of Uzbekistan Timur Rakhmanov together with Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan Dilshod Rasulov yesterday met with member of the Board of Directors - head of sales office in Central Asia of the largest Latvian pharmaceutical company "Olainfarm" Alexander Melnis, Dunyo news agency's correspondent reported.

At the meeting, the sides discussed issues of investment and technological cooperation between Uzbekistan and Olainfarm and prospects of establishing joint production cooperation with deepening the level of localization.

Alexander Melnis positively assessed the progressive reforms in the healthcare sector in Uzbekistan under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, which has contributed to the development of cooperation between the companies of the two countries in recent years. It was emphasized that Riga is confidently optimistic about the prospects of expanding Olainfarm's long-term presence in Uzbekistan by increasing investment and technological cooperation.

As Alexander Melnis informed, Olainfarm is working on the realization of an investment project to establish production of a wide range of high-quality ampouled products in Uzbekistan.

Olainfarm was founded in 1972 in the Latvian town of Olaina. It is the largest pharmaceutical company in the Baltic States. The company's turnover exceeds 124 million euros. The product range includes 60 finished dosage forms, 25 active pharmaceutical substances and more than 20 intermediates. The company's products are exported to 60 countries. Since 2011, it has been supplying the World Health Organization (WHO) with anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Forest ecosystems that have developed over time line the major rivers of Central Asia. The peoples of the region call this distinctive natural heritage tugai. In Uzbekistan’s dry, hot climate, tugai provides a unique natural habitat that sustains a vital ecological balance. Tree roots stabilise riverbanks, trees and shrubs protect the soil, and their shade moderates the summer heat. Birds nest here, and many animals find food and shelter. Dozens of rare animal species, including the Bukhara deer, depend on these habitats. Desert poplars, willows, oleasters and tamarisk scrub maintain a distinctive natural balance between river and desert. In recent decades, however, climate change and extensive human activity have placed these riverside forests among the world’s most threatened ecosystems.

The value of tugai becomes more apparent as its extent shrinks. Historically, along some of Central Asia’s rivers, tugai forests extended two to three kilometres inland from the banks. Today, in many places, they survive only as narrow, disconnected green strips. Areas where trees, shrubs, reedbeds and wet meadows once joined together have broken into small, separate fragments. For every plant and animal, this means less living space, food and shelter.

Scientists at the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan have completed a long-term programme of comprehensive research into tugai along the Amu Darya, Syr Darya and Zarafshan rivers and the shores of the Aydar–Arnasay lake system. Field observations were combined with analysis of historical records, satellite imagery and tree rings. The research revealed the richness of these riverside ecosystems, which support 632 plant species.

The research showed that the pressures threatening this diversity are closely interconnected. Warming is increasing evaporation, drought is depleting soil moisture, and earlier snowmelt and shrinking mountain glaciers are affecting the water feeding rivers. Where seasonal inundation becomes less frequent, natural regeneration of tugai becomes more difficult. Land conversion, excessive grazing and the regulation of river flows add to these pressures. Climate change compounds existing stresses and narrows the opportunities for recovery.

The life of a riverside tree often begins hundreds of kilometres away, high in the mountains. Snow accumulated during winter and glacier ice supply rivers with water in the warmer months. Warming is reducing winter snow accumulation and bringing earlier snowmelt, changing the distribution of water throughout the year. Shrinking glaciers weaken the supply of water in summer over the longer term. Faster melting may initially increase runoff, but this temporary rise does not mean that mountain ice reserves are recovering. As those reserves decline, the risk of water shortages during the hottest months grows.

Changes in the mountains thus reach tugai far downstream. When trees need more water, the supply from the river and soil falls short. The condition of tugai depends not only on the total volume flowing down the river each year, but also on whether that water reaches riverside habitats during the growing season.

Under natural conditions, the seasonal rise of a river sustains tugai. Water spreads across the low-lying land beside the river — its floodplain — moistening the soil, replenishing groundwater and creating wet sandy and silty surfaces where seeds can germinate. After the water recedes, moisture retained in the soil helps young plants grow. The next generation of tugai trees depends on this natural cycle.

When inundation becomes shorter, shifts in timing or no longer reaches particular sites, that connection is disrupted. Mature trees may still carry green canopies, but fewer young plants are available to replace them. A seedling whose roots have not yet reached deeper soil dies during its first dry, hot summer. Water flowing in the channel therefore does not mean that all neighbouring tugai receives enough moisture.

Rising temperatures intensify the problem. Long-term analysis for the Zarafshan valley shows warming and declining summer relative humidity. Rainfall in winter or spring does not always compensate for summer water shortages. In hot weather, soils dry faster and plants must replace lost moisture through their roots. When water is scarce, growth slows, trees weaken and surviving dry years becomes more difficult.

Sensitivity to climate was also evident along the Aydar–Arnasay shores. At the study sites, increases in spring rainfall relative to the previous year were associated with a tendency towards greener vegetation in summer; hotter summers showed the opposite relationship. The conclusion drawn from the research is that proximity to a large lake alone does not protect vegetation from heat and inadequate soil moisture.

Salinity compounds moisture shortages, placing tugai under even greater stress. Where water is not sufficiently renewed and salts are not flushed out, strong evaporation increases salt accumulation in the soil. Plants then find it harder to take up water even when some moisture remains. Trees experience water shortage and the effects of salinity at the same time.

Research in the lower Amu Darya and its delta revealed what this transformation looks like. In some areas, desert poplar stands are thinning and moisture-demanding plants are declining, while shrubs and herbs tolerant of drought and salinity are becoming more prominent. As woodland gives way to areas dominated by shrubs and salt-tolerant herbs, the shade, conditions for moisture retention and wildlife habitats also change. Unfortunately, the presence of vegetation where a forest once stood does not mean that the forest itself has survived.

This distinction also matters in Zarafshan tugai. Grasses and other herbs may spread, making a site look green even while its trees are weakened or dying. Greenness alone is therefore insufficient to assess the condition of tugai. The key criterion is whether healthy trees, natural regeneration and species characteristic of the habitat are being maintained.

The findings from three tugai stands along the Syr Darya in the Fergana Valley illustrate the scale of loss. Their combined area fell from approximately 754 hectares in 1975 to 377 hectares in 2025. Over half a century, these Syr Darya tugai stands lost almost half their area. Warming and drought are making the survival and recovery of the remaining fragments even more difficult.

In their research on tugai along the Amu Darya, Syr Darya and Zarafshan, Academy of Sciences scientists found that tree-ring width in the Amu Darya basin declined from 6.96 millimetres in 1949 to 2.46 millimetres in 2022. In the Syr Darya basin, it fell from 11.26 to 1.95 millimetres between 1965 and 2022. Radial growth declined by 65% relative to its historical maximum in the Amu Darya basin, by 83% in the Syr Darya basin, and by nearly 49% during the recent phase in the Zarafshan basin. The sharp decline in radial growth observed in tugai is not an ordinary climatic fluctuation, but a biological signal that ecosystem stability is being disrupted.

The research showed that fragmentation makes tugai increasingly vulnerable. Animals find it harder to move between isolated patches of woodland, while plants have fewer opportunities to spread. Nearby healthy tugai and seed sources are important when a damaged patch needs to recover after fire or prolonged drought. Where trees disappear and the soil becomes exposed, sunlight and wind have a greater effect, encouraging further moisture loss.

Accumulated dry grasses, reeds and branches also increase fire danger. Hot, dry weather creates favourable conditions for fires to start and spread, while dryness and heat can contribute to ignition. Recovery after a fire requires water too. Where moisture is scarce, damaged woodland takes longer to recover or is replaced by another type of vegetation. Warming, water shortage and fire danger are therefore becoming mutually reinforcing pressures.

Research by Academy of Sciences scientists helps identify where action is needed and which measures are appropriate for conserving tugai. Studying plant communities and tree condition, monitoring soil moisture and salinity, and mapping sites with high fire danger make it possible to identify the most vulnerable areas. This evidence is intended to match protection and restoration to the actual needs of each place.

The first priority is to protect the natural integrity of surviving tugai and prevent further loss through land conversion. Restoration should use native species suited to local soils and moisture conditions, while natural regeneration needs protection from excessive grazing. Where feasible, the floodplain’s connection with the river and scientifically informed seasonal wetting should be restored. Whether planted trees survive subsequent hot summers must be one of the main measures of success.

These tasks are inseparable from the responsible use of the region’s water resources. Water must be conserved, losses reduced and available supplies measured more accurately, with the needs of natural ecosystems considered in water allocation. Alongside water for households, agriculture and industry, provision must be made for the flows that sustain life in river floodplains. Planting trees alone cannot save a tugai deprived of water.

For the countries of Central Asia, conserving tugai is a shared responsibility. Mountain snow and ice reserves, rivers, valleys and their wildlife are interconnected. Stronger cooperation is therefore needed in sharing scientific data, monitoring water and ecosystems, protecting habitats of rare species and restoring tugai. Each country’s practical contribution helps sustain the region’s environment.

Global climate change also requires greater solidarity from the international community. Limiting warming, expanding the use of water-saving technologies and supporting research and ecological restoration are ways for countries worldwide to help protect these unique ecosystems. Joint action for biodiversity must produce tangible results: water reaching riverside habitats, young trees growing to maturity and wildlife retaining the places it needs to survive.

The future of tugai, now reduced in many places to narrow green strips, depends on how we treat water, land and nature. Protecting it requires us to put solutions informed by science into practice together. With that commitment, life along our rivers can continue for the generations to come.

1. Sh. Khabibullaev

Head of Laboratory, Institute of Botany,

Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, PhD, Senior Researcher.