After much hesitation and meetings at the level of individual countries, now in Samarkand the European Union has openly declared its intention to ‘raise relations to the level of strategic partnership’ with the region as a whole. But local leaders, who aim to ‘diversify’ their foreign policy, are waiting to see how many resources Brussels will really put on the table.

Controversy sparked In Uzbekistan  over the small fish farms that disappeared immediately after their inauguration was broadcast live on TV in a village in the Namangan region. A story that recalls the tradition of ‘deceptive demonstrations’ that has regularly resurfaced in the region since the time of the tsars' visits.

While mosques are filling up with large crowds from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan, commercial initiatives related to the Muslim holy month are multiplying. And most telephone operators are also offering electronic almsgiving services, with QR codes approved by religious administrations.

Irakli Kobakhidze's visit to the Uzbek capital was an opportunity to strengthen cooperation projects between the two countries. The objective: to rapidly increase the volume of trade to one billion dollars.

President Mirziyoyev has signed the law that provides for measures to combat extremism and terrorism. Currently, there are 2,300 religious associations of 16 different faiths active in the country, and representatives of religious communities of 130 different nationalities live in the country.

The company Yandex has increased the percentages for taxi drivers, and has stifled all the other players in the market for the transport of people and goods (including Uber) in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The measures launched by the local antitrust agencies have been ineffective.