The Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan has issued an official statement regarding cases of monetary rewards being offered for voting in 'Initiative Budget' projects through unofficial Telegram bots. According to the ministry, hundreds of complaints have been received from citizens who were not paid the money promised for their votes.

The statement highlights that third parties, aiming to gather votes for projects, promise cash or material rewards to citizens, collect their votes, and then fail to pay the promised compensation. These incidents are damaging the reputation of the 'Initiative Budget' system and exposing citizens to the risk of falling victim to fraudulent schemes.

The ministry emphasized that voting for the 'Initiative Budget' is conducted exclusively through the 'Open Budget' information portal, its mobile applications for Android and iOS, and the official Telegram bot. Under current regulations, no payment is required for casting votes, and no material incentives are provided.

Citizens were urged to remain vigilant: to vote for change rather than rewards, not to share personal data with anyone, and to avoid falling into the traps of scammers. The ministry is continuing efforts to address this issue and protect citizens' rights.

Source: kun.uz