Centrum Stosunków Międzynarodowych - 01 September 2016: President Islam Karimov’s health conditions and his address in the 25th anniversary of Uzbek Independence

Uncertainty and speculation are surrounding Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov after he has been hospitalized on August 28. The official state newspaper, Gazeta, reported the cabinet said Karimov's stay in the hospital would "require a certain amount of time for medical assessment and treatment." Although the statement did not elaborate on Karimov's medical condition or provide a reason for his hospitalization, Karimov's younger daughter Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva specified via social media on August 29 that her 78-year-old father remained alive and recover follows what she said was a brain haemorrhage.

Karimov daughter's clarification is due to the fact that speculations have raged around her father's death and an under-way secretive effort to replace the 25-year Presidency of Islam Karimov. With unconfirmed reports asserting Karimov's death and official channels silent since the news of his hospitalization, the President daughter's statement along with her thanks to public affect demonstrations sheds a little light on Uzbek President health conditions.

The address read out on state TV on August 31 for the two-day celebrations of Uzbek independence and attributed to Karimov does not remove all doubts since President's last public appearance dates back to last August 17. Economic reforms and security remain top priorities for the government and the country will not join any political and military bloc and won't allow foreign military bases on its territory, the message said.

It remains, however, unclear Karimov's actual ability to carrying out his commitments as President, so that rumours about names of possible successors begin to emerge. Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyaev, 58, and Finance Minister Rustam Azimov, 56, are likely to be the favourites to become next Uzbekistan President in case of Karimov will resign of die. The Uzbek Constitution provides the head of the upper chamber of parliament, the Senate, with presidential authority for a period of three months if the President is unable to perform his duties. No public declarations have come from Senate Chairman Nigmatulla Yuldashev yet.

Karimov rose to power in 1989 as Secretary of the Communist Party of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. He declared Uzbek Independence in August 1991, as the Soviet Union headed toward collapse, and subsequently won the country's presidential elections with officially around 90 percent of the votes. Karimov has used referendums to extend his term in office, while neutralizing the secular political opposition and eliminating all opposition media from the country.

The mystery surrounding the health of Islam Karimov deepened on Wednesday with his daughter suggesting that he was recovering after a stroke, but an announcer reading Mr. Karimov's traditional independence day address on television. There have been no official statements on his condition so far but one thing seemed certain: the lack of information followed an old Soviet tradition of keeping bad news about the health of an autocrat secret.