Kindergarten Cops: State Surveillance in Turkmenistan
Region: TurkmenistanBy News Briefing Central Asia State surveillance in Turkmenistan is now so all-pervasive that kindergartens are compiling dossiers on pre-school children to keep track of who their relatives are. Staff at pre-school institutions have been instructed to provide local education departments with lists of each child's family members going back three generations. "All adults in our country have to... more
Views: 821Turkmenistan: Human Rights Activists to Address European Parliament
Region: TurkmenistanBy News Briefing Central Asia - Human rights activists from Turkmenistan will discuss the country’s dismal record when they address the European Parliament’s human rights subcommittee on October 9. Vyacheslav Mamedov, who heads the Civil Democratic Union of Turkmenistan based in The Netherlands, and Farid Tukhbatullin, head of the Turkmenistan Human Rig... more
Views: 974Turkmen Civil Aviation Industry in Crisis
Region: Turkmenistan
By News Briefing Central Asia Aviation experts in Turkmenistan say only half the country’s civil aviation fleet is in serviceable condition, leading to long queues for air tickets. In early August, crowds of people besieged the ticket offices of the national carrier Turkmenhovayollary.They were told they would not be able to get on flights abro... more
Views: 1109Major Cuts to Subsidies in Turkmenistan
Region: TurkmenistanBy News Briefing Central Asia The Turkmen government has made major cuts to the subsidies it has traditionally provided its population. In July, it removed a subsidy system for flour which had been in place for the last 15 years. Each household used to get coupons which they could exchange for flour at a special low price. In addition, the authorities cut the list of drivers eligible to buy fu... more
Views: 949Russia Telecoms Firm Heads Back to Turkmenistan
Region: TurkmenistanBy News Briefing Central Asia Members of the small band of internet users in Turkmenistan have expressed delight at the news that Russia’s top mobile phone operator may be about to return to the country. MTS was a pioneer as the only foreign mobile and web service provider operating in Turkmenistan, but had to withdraw in December 2010 after the government suspended its license becaus... more
Views: 876Price of Marriage in Turkmenistan
Region: TurkmenistanBy News Briefing Central Asia An old tradition where grooms make a substantial payment to the bride’s family is flourishing in Turkmenistan, and the sums changing hands are getting higher. The custom of paying for a bride, known as “kalym”, has seen a significant revival in Turkmenistan in the years since the Soviet period, when it was officially banned. Nine of ten Turkmen marriages contra... more
Views: 1347Turkmen Pres. Calls for Improved Road Safety
Region: Turkmenistan
A News Briefing Central Asia Report The Turkmen authorities will not succeed with their plan to improve road safety unless corruption among police officers and officials is stamped out, say NBCentralAsia observers. At an August 6 meeting of the State Security Council, Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov criticised the work of the State Road Supervision Service – the department tasked with ensuring ro... more
Views: 1638Oilmen Strike Over Exchange-Rate Change
Region: Turkmenistan
On June 11, foreign media reported that 600 workers on an oil rig belonging to the Italian company ENI went on strike in Nebitdag in the west of Turkmenistan. The protest was dispersed by paramilitary units of the interior and national security ministries, and 62 arrests were made. An NBCentralAsia source in the western Balkan region where Nebitdag is located confirmed that similar stoppages took place “at ever... more
Views: 1580Solar and Wind Power for Gas-Rich State
Region: Turkmenistan
While the Turkmen authorities have started talking about creating renewable energy, there is little prospect this will come about in the near future since the country lacks the research facilities, staff and technology required, say NBCentralAsia experts. On June 12, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov marked national science day with a speech in which he urged scientists to focus more on new alternative energy techn... more
Views: 1678Turkmen Leader Seeks Longer Term
Region: Turkmenistan
The constitutional reforms recently announced in Turkmenistan appear geared toward strengthening the powers of the president rather than achieving a balance of power between executive, legislature and judiciary, NBCentralAsia analysts say. The changes, which will come into effect in September 2008 assuming they are approved, were announced at a meeting of a constitutional committee which opened on May 22. ... more
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