Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan does not plan to raise energy tariffs for the population in 2023. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Dilshod Sultanov.

He recalled that energy tariffs have not increased since 2019. He added that it would be economically expedient to increase them, since maintaining prices for consumers at the current level increases the budget deficit.

Dilshod Sultanov said that most likely there would be no increase in tariffs. At least for citizens, it definitely won’t, he added.

“But this does not mean that we do not think about it and do not discuss this issue. Several options are being discussed, including some kind of social norm,” he added.

At the same time, Sultanov noted that consumers with a large volume of electricity and gas consumption should pay for resources at market rates.

At the same time, people with low incomes and those in need of social protection should be encouraged for the economical use of gas and electricity, he said.