The international symposium titled "Constitutional and Legal Issues in the Modernization of the Representative System: International Experience for Uzbekistan," organized by the Uzbek Presidential Institute of Legislation and Legal Policies, brought together academics, decision-makers, and practitioners from various countries. The session titled "Improving the Activities of Local-Level Representative Bodies (Municipal Councils)" was moderated by our University Rector, Prof. Dr. Ali Cengiz Köseoğlu.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Köseoğlu stated that local representative bodies are a cornerstone of democratic governance and sustainable development. He stated that these institutions directly reflect the will of the people and play a critical role in the implementation of national policies at the local level, emphasizing that they also serve as a bridge in conveying citizen demands to the central government.
In his speech, Prof. Dr. Köseoğlu emphasized that the symposium provided an important platform for participants from different countries to share knowledge and experience. "We are here to jointly explore ways to make local representative institutions more transparent, participatory, and effective," said Köseoğlu, adding that best practices would be discussed throughout the session.
Köseoğlu emphasized that local governments must transform in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world. He stated that urbanization, climate change, digitalization, and increasing demands for citizen participation make it imperative to provide local institutions with greater authority, tools, and capacity. He added that this session, which will address a wide range of topics from legal reforms to public interaction, will also open the door to new collaborations.
At the end of his speech, Prof. Dr. Köseoğlu thanked all participants and expressed his hope that the session would be productive and inspiring.
Prof. Dr. Neslihan Karataş Durmuş presented a comprehensive assessment of parliamentary structures and oversight processes in Turkey and France in her presentation titled "Parliamentary Powers and Functions: The Example of Turkey and France." Dr. Samet Tatar, Director of the Turkish-Uzbek Legal Research Center and Head of the Department of Information Technology Law, highlighted the impact of digitalization processes on local governments in his presentation titled "Utilizing Artificial Intelligence Technologies to Improve the Legislative Activities of Local Representative Authorities."
Beyond the symposium, the Turkish delegation held other important meetings in Uzbekistan. Led by AYBU Rector Prof. Dr. Ali Cengiz Köseoğlu, the delegation met with Tashkent State Law University (TSUL) Rector Prof. Dr. Islambek RUSTAMBEKOV and Head of the Department of Information Technology Law Prof. Dr. Said GULYAMOV. As a result of the meeting, it was decided to increase the existing cooperation between the two universities, to implement application-oriented joint projects and to strengthen joint master's programs.
