“We must abandon the use of paper, otherwise we will continue to incur huge costs for printing and equipment. Since 2020, we have consumed 65 tons of A4 paper, which we import from abroad. This cannot continue,” he emphasized.
The President urged the deputies to use tablets and laptops to create a modern electronic parliament. “It’s time to leave paper and pens behind. Developing countries did this 30 years ago. If someone doesn’t know how to work with technology, they should learn, as it’s not that difficult. One person can quickly send out all necessary documents and also store archives for 15-20 years on one device,” he added.
Japarov noted that sometimes ministers ask him how he remembers events that happened several years ago. He responded, “I am also human, and I sometimes forget. But I have the opportunity to go back to old files and remind myself of events.” The President pointed out the inefficiency of using paper notebooks, which are often simply thrown away, and emphasized that all documents that take up a lot of paper can be stored on one device.
The head of state also mentioned the loss of time and resources: “When one word changes in a bill, all documents are reviewed, leading to enormous costs. I was a deputy myself and know how sometimes dozens of kilograms of paper were brought in that no one opened. But a tablet can be used anytime and anywhere — it’s much more convenient,” he noted.
Additionally, he pointed out the significant expenses on office equipment: printers, ink, electricity, and salaries for secretaries, which ultimately amount to billions of soms. “Three years ago, we transitioned the government to an electronic format and saved billions. I propose to do the same for the deputies, and the saved funds can be directed to your fund,” the president concluded.
Sadyr Japarov also noted that electronic document circulation allows for quick document approvals.
“Previously, the approval process took months. Now, by uploading a document to the system in the morning, you can receive responses by evening: ‘agree’ or ‘disagree.’ I found a government resolution that could not be adopted for three years because documents took a long time to pass through offices. Such important state decisions are now made in a matter of hours. The only exception is particularly classified information,” he added.
“Three years ago, we transferred your salaries to electronic accounts, and although some deputies opposed this and wanted to receive cash, we still implemented this step. I hope you will support the transition to an electronic parliament,” Japarov summarized.
