TASHKENT, July 1. /Dunyo IA/. Today, the official opening ceremony was held in Tashkent for the duty-free "Diplomatic Shop" exclusively intended for employees of diplomatic missions accredited in Uzbekistan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads and staff of diplomatic missions, as well as representatives of the business community.

"Diplomatic Shop" offers a wide range of high-quality products at duty-free prices. The store features goods from leading global brands — from perfumery and luxury cosmetics to jewelry and accessories.

The shop was established to provide comfortable and advantageous conditions for the purchase of essential goods by employees of diplomatic missions and their family members.

The retail outlet is located in the building of the Diplomatic Service (DS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan at 10 Alisher Navoi Street. "Diplomatic Shop" operates Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Andrin Fink, Deputy Ambassador of Switzerland and Head of Cooperation Department:

- Today’s opening was attended by numerous representatives of the diplomatic community, which, in my opinion, demonstrates strong interest in the launch of such a shop in Tashkent. I am also pleased to see that the management of "Diplomatic Shop" shows genuine attention to the needs of the diplomatic community and strives to offer a product assortment that meets their requirements.

Overall, I look forward with optimism to the successful development of this project. Regarding the organization of the event, everything was carried out at a high professional level — the performances featuring traditional Uzbek dances created a warm and hospitable atmosphere."

Antti Karttunen, Head of the OSCE Project Coordinator Office in Uzbekistan and Ambassador:

- The opening of the new diplomatic shop in Tashkent took place in a very pleasant and friendly environment. I am convinced that this project will receive a positive response from the diplomatic community, as it will provide access to quality products for various events. I consider this initiative by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan timely and important. I thank the organizers for the invitation.

Sabine Mahl, UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan:

- I would like to express my gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan for the invitation to today’s opening of the duty-free shop "Diplomatic Shop". Previously, I was not familiar with such shops in Tashkent and was unaware of their existence, so it is especially pleasing for me to see this new outlet appear in the capital. As for the event’s organization, it was held at a high level, and the organizers prepared a wonderful program dedicated to the opening. This is truly an excellent idea to raise awareness of the shop among a wider audience.