The election campaign for the 23 December Uzbek presidential polls has entered a new stage. The candidates for the presidency have started holding meetings with voters, UzA reported.

Incumbent President Islam Karimov, a candidate from the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the movement of businessmen and entrepreneurs, on 26 November met voters in the southernmost Surkhandarya region.

Karimov made a speech at the meeting; he is also quoted as praising Surkhandarya.

Those who made speeches at the meeting - Bahrom Dilov, head of the Bahriddin farm; Zebiniso Yodgorova, head of the Dostlik village clinic in Termiz District; Kholmamat Normamtov, head of the Termiz poultry firm; Shoberdi Boltayev, Uzbek people’s singer of folk songs and others - noted that the large-scale work being carried out to strengthen the country’s independence, ensure social and political stability and economic development, and increase Uzbekistan’s prestige among the international community, was credited to Islam Karimov.

They especially stressed that supporting the candidacy of Islam Karimov was a reliable guarantee for the consistent continuation of the fundamental changes being carried out in all spheres, for greater economic development and improvement in the well-being of our people.