Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Uzbek government has decided not to intervene in the pricing of the fuel and energy sector.

On 1 August, following an order from President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov held a meeting with heads of ministries and agencies to discuss issues related to the fuel and energy complex.

According to "Gazeta.uz," citing the prime minister’s press secretary, Bekzod Khidoyatov, the meeting addressed the removal of the previously set price cap on methane.

Khidoyatov announced that the government will no longer interfere in price formation within this sector. In order to protect consumer rights, the president has instructed the government to implement market mechanisms while preventing unjustified price increases for gas.

Khidoyatov noted that state regulation of prices had led to a disruption of the competitive environment. "Therefore, there will be no price cap, and prices will be determined by market mechanisms. The Competition Committee and the General Prosecutor’s Office have been tasked with ensuring price stabilization, which will be implemented similarly to the process of liberalizing bread and wheat prices," he said.

He also emphasized that giving entrepreneurs the freedom to set prices does not mean the absence of control. Leaders of four sectors will monitor to ensure that prices are not artificially inflated multiple times.

Additionally, methane filling stations will be required to implement a consumption accounting system from Uzinfocom for compressed gas.

It is worth noting that on 1 August, the previously established retail price cap for automotive methane at 3,750 soums per cubic meter expired.