Sherzod Kudratkhojayev, Press Secretary of the Uzbek premier, arranged a meeting with correspondents of the leading periodicals on April 2.

Organized on the premises of the newspaper Halk Suzi or People's Word, the meeting was sparked by a sketchy piece in some media outlet that had mentioned - tactfully, so as not to offend anyone - problems with central heating, running water, and electric power.

As far as Kudratkhojayev was concerned, journalists should think twice before offering pieces like that for publication.

As it turned out, enemies of sovereign Uzbekistan who have been losing sleep over its economic prosperity keep track of all critical publications in the local media. Needless to say, they never hesitate to use the facts that become public knowledge to promote their malicious purposes.

Kudratkhojayev told journalists to interact directly with the authorities without having negative information they might have stumbled on published in their respective media outlets.

According to the premier's press secretary, the authorities will immediately put things to right and spitters will be disappointed.

Wrapping the meeting up, Kudratkhojayev gave journalists his phone numbers (office and cell phones) and told his colleague from the Tashkent hokimijat or administration to follow suit.