THE LEGAL NATURE AND ROLE OF PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS IN LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY

This article explores the legal and institutional aspects of public consultations in the legislative process, focusing on the case of Uzbekistan. It examines how reforms aimed at democratization have influenced the practice of involving citizens, civil society institutions, and experts in lawmaking. Using normative analysis and comparative examples from Sweden and Finland, the article investigates how such participation affects the transparency, accountability, and legitimacy of legislative outcomes. The study concludes that effective and institutionalized public consultations can serve as a foundation for stronger democratic governance in transitional states like Uzbekistan.