The logic of decisions made by the country's leadership, and in some states the political system, is largely determined by the personality of the main leader. News.ru continues to talk about the biographies, families and hobbies of the leaders of the post-Soviet republics. Previous articles were devoted to the heads of Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and Uzbekistan. Today the material is about the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov.
Son of a communist
The future holder of the title Arkadag (“patron”) was born in 1957 in the village of Babarap, fifty kilometers from Ashgabat, into an intelligent family of school teachers. The leader of Turkmenistan is proud of his parents; he periodically appears with them at public events. In Turkmenistan, military units, streets and squares are named in honor of Arkadag’s grandfather and father; their detailed biographies were published several years ago. From the books you can find out that the president’s grandfather Berdymukhamed Annayev was a rural teacher and school director, during the Great Patriotic War he fought with the rank of corporal, and was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor for his work. The president's father, Myalikguly Berdimuhamedov, is a historian by training, worked at school, then made a career as a correctional officer, rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel of the internal service, and worked in the apparatus of the Ministry of Fruit and Vegetable Farming of the Turkmen SSR. In the book “Loyal Son of the Motherland,” it is especially noted that the president’s father was a candidate member of the CPSU, was on the commission for preparing holidays in the party committee of the Ministry, and participated in various party and Komsomol meetings.
After graduating from school, the future leader decided to devote himself to healing people. At the age of 23, he graduated from the dental faculty of the Turkmen State Medical Institute and began working as a dentist in rural and urban clinics. In 1987, he went to Moscow for graduate school, and three years later he defended his thesis on the topic “Features of the clinic and pathogenesis of major dental diseases in children born to multiparous women.” Returning home, the future leader of the republic continued to treat patients’ teeth, at the same time deepened his knowledge and gradually became an associate professor, and then the dean of the Faculty of Dentistry. In 2007, when he had already taken the presidency, it was announced that Berdymukhamedov would be awarded the degree of Doctor of Science in Medicine.
At the age of 40 he was appointed Minister of Health. This fact, as well as the fact that in the future he was not subject to numerous purges in the government, gave rise to various gossip. Allegedly, the rapid rise was facilitated by the fact that Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is actually the illegitimate son of the former President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov. Moreover, the external similarity between the former and current leaders is striking. If we hypothetically present this version as true, it turns out that the current leader was born when Niyazov was only 17 years old.
The president has many relatives, but very little is known about what they do. Some information can be gleaned from a memo from employees of the US Embassy in Ashgabat for State Department employees in Washington, which was published by the Wikileaks portal. It follows from the document that the Turkmen leader has two daughters and a son, Serdar. The eldest daughter Guljahon lives in London and is married to Ilasgeldy Amanov, a representative of the Turkmen State Agency for the Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources in the UK. The youngest Gulshan lives in Paris and is married to Derya Atabaev, an employee of the Turkmen embassy in France; the couple has a villa on the Cote d'Azur. American diplomats also wrote that, according to rumors, Berdymukhamedov has an unofficial Russian wife named Marina, who previously worked as a nurse in the same dental clinic where the head of state worked. Marina, as well as her 22-year-old daughter with the president, according to American embassy workers, lived in London during the period of writing the note in 2010.
More information about son Serdar, born in 1981. In 2001, he received an engineering degree from the Turkmen Agricultural University and since then has become a doctor of science, a member of parliament, a lieutenant colonel, an honored trainer of the country, and in March 2018 he was appointed deputy minister of foreign affairs. Serdar has a wife, three daughters and a son.
Gurbanguly was the only son of his parents, but he has five sisters. Some of them occupy positions of responsibility, for example Gulnabat heads the national organization of the Red Crescent.
Recently, his grandson Kerimguly, the son of his eldest daughter Guljakhon, has often appeared in public with the president. In the summer, Turkmen television showed how the head of state and his grandson performed a rap of their own composition.
All that is known about the president’s wife is that her name is Ogulgerek, and she is the same age as her husband. Sometimes Berdymukhamedov appears in public with his wife, but extremely rarely; she does not give interviews. Arkadag does not like to let others into his family life. But he himself has recently been present in almost every wedding photograph in the country: since 2013, all newlyweds have been required to take a photo in the registry office with the portrait of the president in the background
Handyman
The President of Turkmenistan has many diverse interests. His list of hobbies also includes sports, which he has been involved in since childhood. At the age of 15, the future leader of the nation became the champion of Ashgabat in freestyle wrestling, and a year later - the champion of the republic in shooting. Now he has many sports titles in various international sports associations and federations, personally participates in horse racing and auto racing, and watches football competitions with interest.
Another area of interest is music. The head of state plays the guitar, accordion, keyboards and drums, and composes songs in various genres, from pop and pop to rap. He also loves to sing, both songs of his own composition and those of other authors. This year, the president congratulated the women of the republic on March 8, performing Igor Sarukhanov’s song “Kara-kum”.
Berdymukhamedov also loves to invent and assemble equipment. State television recently showed how the president allegedly personally designed and then built a racing car from his own drawings.
But the biggest hobby of the leader of Turkmenistan is writing books, which are translated into many languages of the world by a special staff of translators in the country. Berdimuhamedov wrote volumes, including on the importance of sports, the need to get an education, the benefits of drinking tea, the beauty of music and nature, the importance of water for the national economy, horse breeding, and spiritual self-improvement. The encyclopedic collection in 9 volumes “Medicinal Herbs of Turkmenistan” is recommended for use by all medical institutions of the republic. His latest opus, published in 2018, is called “The Teachings of Arkadag - the basis of health and inspiration.”
Original of this material© Fergana.Ru, 01/26/2018, Photo: EPA, turkmenistan.gov.tm, via Fergana.Ru, Still from video: via "Chronicle of Turkmenistan"
He's not an orphan
Over the years, information about the family of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his immediate family remained closed. The population of the country, of course, guessed that the second president, unlike Saparmurat Niyazov, is far from an orphan - he has a family, children, grandchildren, and other relatives. But what kind of relatives these were, what they did, what they looked like - for the time being, almost no one knew. However, the general public knew little about Berdymukhamedov himself until the time came for him to take the presidential throne. |
| Serdar Berdimuhamedov (right) |
However, this is just the beginning. In May 2017, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, at the head of a delegation from Turkmenistan, travels to Tatarstan, where he holds negotiations with the head of the republic, Rustam Minnikhanov. A few more days later, he meets with the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matvienko. Such meetings, some believe, are not quite up to his rank; after all, he is not the chairman of the Mejlis, but only the chairman of one of the committees. However, what is too much for a simple deputy is quite tough for the president’s son.
The list of his achievements does not end there - as they say, a talented person is talented in everything. Having demonstrated extraordinary abilities, first in science, then in diplomacy, Serdar turned his attention to sports. According to the TDH agency, during “a meeting in accordance with the Resolution of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, Serdar Gurbangulyevich Berdimuhamedov was awarded a certificate and a badge conferring the honorary title “Türkmenistanyň at gazanan tälimçisi” (“Honored Coach of Turkmenistan”). Thus, his services were noted for increasing the international prestige of Turkmenistan as a sports power and his personal contribution to the training of athletes who took prizes in the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.”
The question of when such a busy person managed to train professional athletes still remains open. It is only known that not all current coaches liked the assignment of such a high title to Serdar. However, most likely, envy speaks in them. Among them there are probably those who have devoted their entire lives to sports, training athletes, introducing children to physical education, and their merits have still not been recognized by the state. The president’s son, thanks to his extraordinary abilities, achieves the top in everything that interests him.
Probably, nothing other than envy explains the hostility towards Serdar among career military personnel. They, obviously, all the time ask themselves a banal question: “How did a yellow-throated chick, who never served in the army for a day and never smelled gunpowder, so quickly grow up first to a major, and then to a lieutenant colonel?”
“There are simply no words, but I believe that with such actions the president disgraces not only himself and his son, but also discredits the very rank and honor of the officer,” writes a retiree of the same rank who fought in Afghanistan and was awarded military decorations on social networks. and Serdar. To receive such stars, a person had to fight, be seriously wounded, and then wait another 20 years for an order to confer a rank, and then again! - and the president’s son is already a lieutenant colonel.
There are probably people who watch Serdar’s successes only with idle curiosity. However, it seems that the Chairman of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, Akdzhi Nurberdyeva, has legitimate concerns and even fear about these successes. She seems to have some reason to believe that Serdar is the first choice to take her place.
It is significant in this sense that at the end of 2017, the Turkmen media vied with each other to tell how people’s representative Serdar Berdimuhamedov came to voters in the village of Dushak, Kaakhkinsky district, to open a new medical complex there with 375 beds. It seems that there have been no such reports about deputies in Turkmenistan during all the years of independence. And certainly such stories were not filmed about the current chairman of the Mejlis, Nurberdiyeva. Thus, it all looked as if out of 125 deputies of the Turkmen Mejlis, only S. Berdimuhamedov was working hard and thinking about the needs and aspirations of his voters.
So it cannot be ruled out that in the near future Akdzhi Nurberdyeva will be asked to vacate the chair of the chairman so that it can be taken by a young promising leader, who quite by chance may turn out to be the son of the president.
Although I think Arkadag’s swing is wider. Unlike Saparmurat Niyazov, who seemed to sincerely believe himself to be immortal, the current head of Turkmenistan views things more rationally. If something happens - and, as everyone saw in the example of Niyazov, anything can happen - it is better to have his own son become the successor than a completely stranger. Moreover, he won’t even have to think about the title: he is already a Serdar, a Leader.
What is allowed to Arkadag
To be fair, it should be noted that nepotism is commonplace in the Central Asian republics. Moreover, it extends to all social spheres, from the very bottom to the sky-high presidential peaks. Whoever you take - be it Rakhmon, Karimov, Nazarbayev- everyone has some kind of relatives in power, everyone has one or another benefit from the state budget.
At the same time, the late Saparmurat Niyazov, with all his specific features, in this sense behaved quite modestly and did not place children in positions of power.
But the current president of Turkmenistan is a completely different person. He has a whole carload of these relatives, and everyone wants to get a position, take over someone else’s business, direct money from the state budget into their pockets - in a word, to the best of their ability, do something useful for the country.
It may well be that all these relatives are very good people. But the proximity to Arkadag spoiled them a little. But no matter how good they are in themselves, this is still not enough to give them the entire state.
Arkadag himself can do anything: throw knives, fly on a helicopter, ride on tank And bicycle, manage horse And racing car , to play guitar , sing songs of your own composition, hang your portraits everywhere and erect monuments to yourself.
["ANT", Turkmenistan, 01/16/2018, "The portraits of the president are being changed again in Turkmenistan": Since the new year, government institutions in Turkmenistan have begun to update the portraits of the president. From now on, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov appears not in a red tie, but in a black one. It is reported that private enterprises have also received instructions to replace portraits of the head of state.
The price of one portrait is three manats. In government institutions, including schools, the face of the president is in every office and classroom. Teachers are forced to pay for replacements out of their own pockets. At the same time, they were asked to hand over their old portraits.
“This is apparently so that one fine morning no one will discover tens or even hundreds of thousands of portraits of the president in a garbage dump,” joked a teacher from Ashgabat.
The authorities of Turkmenistan regularly change the image of Berdymukhamedov. Either he is younger, then he is serious and looks straight, then he smiles and looks somewhere to the side. The last time the country changed its face was at the end of February last year, that is, less than a year ago. Then the president was wearing a red tie against the backdrop of a Turkmen carpet. - Insert K.ru]
People will treat all these cute eccentricities and small weaknesses with understanding: that’s what the president is for. But when his offspring, sisters, sons-in-law, nephews and other grandchildren begin to do the same thing, that’s a completely different matter. As the ancient Romans would say in this case: what is allowed to Jupiter is not allowed to the nephew. But it seems that Arkadag’s numerous relatives do not want to understand this, which causes great irritation in society.
The situation is aggravated by the transparency of the modern information society. No matter how much the presidential clan hides its extravagant hobbies, sooner or later everything comes to the surface. Moreover, not everything is hidden.
On opposition and human rights websites, social networks, instant messaging web servers and smartphone applications, one can see, for example, very interesting details from the life of the president’s sister Gulnabat Dovletova. Videos have been posted for public viewing where nephews, sons-in-law and other relatives of the head of the Turkmen state with their friends drive expensive cars, feast in luxurious restaurants and smoke hookah in the most expensive hotels. The most curious thing is that these videos and photographs are not posted by some paparazzi or enemies of the president. The heroes of such “reports” themselves filmed them and posted them online. The “look how cool I am and be jealous” selfies have become self-exposing for many members of the president’s family. Another thing is how afraid they themselves are of such revelations. It doesn't seem like much.
Although there are exceptions among them: some relatives prefer to arrange their affairs in blessed silence. Thus, a source in Ashgabat reports that a special group of specialists in computer and IP technologies, formally assigned to the Ministry of Communications, but actually subordinate to the Ministry of National Security, has been instructed to prevent any attempts by Internet users to access sites banned and blocked in the country. Their responsibilities also include preventing rumors, or rather, the dissemination of information about the president’s sister Gulnabat Dovletova. She is the executive director of the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan (NRCS), which.A lot of negativity can be found online about the president’s son-in-law, Nazar Rejepov, who controls business and entrepreneurship in the country. Information about one of Berdymukhamedov’s nephews, Shomurod, can generally terrify an impressionable person. Shomurod is known for his wild, uncontrollable temper; he is capable of raising his hand against anyone who contradicts him in word or deed. It is known, for example, that he beat the investigator only because he disobeyed his order and did not close the criminal case against his friend.
["CentrAsia", 12/20/2015, "Berdimuhamedov's beloved nephew beat up an investigator. The investigator is punished": According to a source in the prosecutor's office, the incident occurred in November of this year.
[...] the nephew of President Berdymukhammedov, while in Dubai (UAE), called the investigator of the prosecutor's office, who was handling a criminal case against a certain Aman, a close friend and classmate of Shomurod. Over the phone, Shomurod demanded that investigative actions against his friend be immediately stopped and that he not be held criminally liable. However, the investigator refused his request, which aroused the rage of Shomurod, whom no one in Turkmenistan has the right to contradict or refuse anything.
The very next day, Shomurod flew to Ashgabat and, accompanied by 8 fellow athletes, arrived for a personal audience with the intractable investigator. Without asking any unnecessary questions, the thugs brutally beat the obstinate investigator.
After the incident, the prosecutor intervened in the case. He personally prepared all the necessary documents to release Aman from criminal liability and the order to dismiss the beaten investigator.
The head of state was also informed about the incident, who instructed the staff of the Presidential Security Service to detain his nephew and send him on the next flight back to Dubai. The president's order was carried out instantly. And no one knows about the fate of the poor investigator.
It should be noted that Shomurod is currently engaged in the construction of a large hotel in Dubai and “provides assistance” to Turkmen entrepreneurs in the supply of expensive cars and sports cars from the UAE to Turkmenistan. At the same time, the ban on the import of vehicles with an engine capacity of more than 3.5 cubic cm introduced in Turkmenistan does not apply to Shomurod. - Insert K.ru]
In general, it is said about the president’s nephews - the sons of his sister Gulnabat - that they have taken over all imports of alcohol, tobacco and industrial products. People even joke about this that “there are not enough business facilities for all the nephews in the country, and the last stage of privatization has been launched specifically for them.”
The list of Arkadag’s relatives and their outrages can be endless, but this is unlikely to change the situation. In this regard, I only remember that Lenin dreamed that any cook could rule the state. Turkmenistan seems to have reached the point where every relative of President Berdymukhamedov is capable of ruling the state. Another question: are there enough states in the world for all his relatives to get it?
How Gulnabat Dovletova took control of the Turkmen Red Crescent
Original of this material© "ATM", Turkmenistan, 07/06/2017, Photo: via "ATM"
By order of my sister
Gulnabat Myalikgulyevna Dovletova, the sister of the President of Turkmenistan, has been the executive director of the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan (NRCS) since the beginning of 2014. In 2013, she was forced to leave her job at the khyakimlik (mayor’s office) of the capital’s district named after President Niyazov. The reason, as sources say, is fraud with various kinds of tenders. The chairman of the society is Maral Almazovna Achilova, but she has no power - all issues are resolved by Gulnabat Dovletova.Former Red Crescent employees who left at different times, but for one reason - the society lost its original role and turned into a feeding trough for its new de facto leader - talk about the new orders and methods of management of the president's sister.
Two months after Gulnabat joined the NRCST, the “six” of the Red Crescent rewrote the charter of the organization, re-registered it again and changed the position of the president’s sister: from now on she began to be called “General Director”. The newly appointed boss appropriated the organization's seal and began to exercise her power.
NRCPT is a humanitarian independent public organization. Its main mission is to provide assistance to those affected by emergencies and natural disasters, as well as to the poor (orphans, single elderly, disabled people), and in wartime - to provide assistance to the wounded and their relatives.
Before Gulnabat arrived, the fundamental principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement were inscribed on the wall of the main foyer of the National Society: humanity, independence, impartiality, voluntariness, unity, universality, neutrality. Having become the general director, Dovletova ordered the inscriptions to be erased.
Gulnabat began her activity by making herself a large one on the first floor out of two offices. She placed two security guards at the counter at the entrance to the office, and sent a disabled employee to guard another building - the Red Crescent building at 44 Azadi Street. She explained this by saying that he looked indecent for the main office. She sent all the employees to the semi-basement, where she also did a major overhaul. She hung portraits of her brother, the president, in each department. Previously, it hung only in the lobby.
All the windows of the employees' workplace were covered with bricks, practically walling up people and leaving them without fresh air and sunlight. In the foyer, she placed upholstered furniture and placed a large aquarium with fish. One “shark” swims among them, the rest of the individuals reproduce, serving as food for it. The allegory can be read clearly, everything is like in the Red Crescent, where the shark is the general director, and the fish are all the employees.
According to the charter, the NOCPT has the right to open self-supporting enterprises under its roof to cover its needs. Taking advantage of this point, Dovletova opened a sewing shop and two large pharmacies. At the planning meeting, she announced that from now on everyone should order dresses and embroidery only from this workshop and purchase medicines from their pharmacies, where prices are higher than at other points.
“Do you know how much a license to open a pharmacy costs [meaning the unofficial price - approx. ANT]? - She looked around at her subordinates at the planning meeting. - One million dollars! And we got it. Gradually our pharmacies will open throughout the country. No one else will receive a license for this type of activity in the country.”
From the very beginning of her work, the president’s sister introduced a mandatory dress code among her employees - to appear at work only in floor-length Turkmen national dresses and with embroidery on the collar and chest. You just can’t wear a long dress, definitely with embroidery. A long skirt with a blouse is also prohibited.
“In a traditional Turkmen family, it is considered shameful to wear a skirt; this means that the girl is frivolous and even promiscuous, i.e. easily accessible,” she said.
Her team leadership is a system of prohibitions. So, Dovletova canceled days off for employees: “No one in Turkmenistan receives them, and you will not rest!” she said at the planning meeting, although this is a violation of the Labor Code. And now full-time employees are on duty in the office around the clock on holidays and go to work the next day.
Gulnabat forbade volunteers from gathering in the main office, ignoring the statutory condition that the driving force of the NRCST are volunteers. Closed the distribution of hot lunches, replacing them with dry rations. Now entrepreneurs bring sheep carcasses, and all the employees of the main office cut the raw meat into rations with their bare hands, and then distribute it to the recipients of the NOCPT. The president's sister even decides who gets meat and who doesn't.
Another “innovation” of Dovletova is the abolition of one-time payments to disabled people. They supposedly receive benefits from the state. Introduced a ban on giving gifts to residents of the Nursing Home on holidays. Her response on this matter is verbatim: “Only prostitutes live there, they didn’t give birth to children, and if they had children, they don’t need old people, so they put them in a nursing home. When I worked in the khyakimlik, I never gave them gifts.” And similar things are also said at planning meetings.
Among the prohibitions introduced is this: employees are not allowed to sit on upholstered furniture in the main foyer, which opens into the exit from the general director’s office. And you can’t go up from the basement to the first floor unless necessary. The employees jokingly call themselves children of the dungeon. But it’s impossible because Gulnabat receives visitors all day. On weekdays, everyone who wants to get a handout from the master’s shoulder comes to her, mostly her acquaintances. On holidays, all heads of organizations and enterprises and entrepreneurs bring offerings. According to an eyewitness, her driver does not have time to take the gifts home.
“Personal is mine and someone else’s is also mine”
The CEO does not draw a special line between his own family and the team, between home and work. Her eldest granddaughter named Nurana, a 4th grade student, is constantly in the main office, not in her grandmother’s office, but in Dzhemal, the secretary of the Chairman of the Society, Maral Achilova. In the chairman's reception room, as in a children's room, there are piled up toys, dolls, a blackboard, textbooks, writing materials and other objects and things that are not related to the specifics of a serious social organization. Starting from lunch, the secretary takes full care of the child, becoming an ordinary nanny. It’s very convenient, you don’t have to pay anyone.By the way, a little about who is related to whom in the Dovletova family. Nurana is the daughter of the eldest daughter Gulnabat Maral and son-in-law Shamurad, known in the capital of the lawless leader Shamma. This is the one who beat the prosecutor half to death because he refused to close a criminal case against a friend, the one who takes away business from honest entrepreneurs.
Gulnabat appointed her son-in-law to manage the pharmacies of the NOCPT. Shamurat is not only Dovletova’s son-in-law, but also at the same time her own nephew, her sister’s son. That is, the sisters married their children. Among Turkmens, such marriages are a very common occurrence. And Gulnabat also discussed this at the planning meeting.
“They say about me that I’m a nationalist, nothing like that. Yes, I married my daughter to my nephew. What’s wrong with this, I want to preserve my family,” she said.
By mixing the personal with the official and vice versa, Dovletova allows her close associates to do the same. So Aina Garadzhaeva, her non-staff secretary, being the coordinator of the program, does nothing, but regularly goes on trips abroad. At work, her responsibilities include keeping records of visitors, scheduling appointments with their boss, and weeding out unnecessary ones. Together with the boss, they place children in kindergartens, prestigious schools, and institutes, receiving rewards for this. G. Dovletova may take the money, not fulfill the request, and not return the money.
And what about the chairman of the NRCPT M. Achilova? She has absolutely no rights. Gulnabat controls her movements, her consumption of gasoline when using a state vehicle, and insults her at every opportunity. What can we say about the employees, they get it at every planning meeting. Dovletova does not mince words; her statements not only offend people, they put them into shock and stupor. For example, she stated: “You are all immoral, your women have no husbands, your men have no wives.” She can tell a male representative to his face - you are not a man at all. And she openly threatened the caretaker for his offense - get ready for prison, I will put you in prison. As a result, she fired him for theft.
The general director does not allow nurses working under the Tuberculosis Prevention program to attend planning meetings and does not allow them to participate in corporate events of the company. So she is afraid of contracting tuberculosis. And this is at a time when program staff explain to the public the inadmissibility of discrimination in TB, labeling people with tuberculosis.
For many years, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent has been pushing the issue of Internet access for the NRCST. In 2013, access to the World Wide Web was opened, and all departments were connected to the global network. Gulnabat closed this window to the outside world. Then I turned off “8” in all departments, i.e. access to long-distance communications, although the Red Crescent of Turkmenistan operates throughout the country and has more than 50 branches of regional, district, and village significance. “Call from your mobile phones,” she said at the planning meeting. Employees have to pay for communications out of their own pockets. Grant support programs provide funds for communication, but it does not allow them to be used.
Today, more than 100 employees have lost their jobs, and almost all programs have closed. And it seems that this situation will continue as long as the sister remains CEO. But she will not leave this place, she is very comfortable here. It is difficult to find another place like this in Ashgabat. The office is in the city center, she conducts a public reception of her visitors, and does not report to anyone. They installed security cameras on all sides. She forced the police to set up a post - booth 02 with a 24-hour man on duty. The owners of private houses next to the office were unlucky - Gulnabat took away their home territory to widen the road, because her car could not drive up to the office.
“All the achievements of the Red Crescent over 25 years of independence were destroyed. This is beneficial to the authorities, because they, the authorities, are not interested in the development of civil society. International donors are unwilling to fund NRCST. And now the organization exists and, okay, no one cares that it does not fulfill its mission,” said former Red Crescent employees.
["ANT", Turkmenistan, 08/01/2017, "Red Crescent of Turkmenistan: "Slander of envious people" or is the truth hurting your eyes?" : The authors of the first ANT material are people close to the Society […] told the editors other features of the work of the Society and the behavior of its general director. […]
“Previously, employees were admitted to the Society on a competitive basis, and this was in accordance with the principles of the international federation of the RCMP. Now General Director Dovletova accepts only those whom she liked personally or based on family. So, the sister fired an experienced employee with many years of experience, Merdan Kemzhaev, who headed the department for emergency situations and natural disasters, and in his place she hired a man from the street who had no experience in such work. This department was completely disbanded for some time, but later re-opened, because... Without him, the Society cannot function at all,” the source said.
One of the current employees told ANT that the team is most outraged by the nepotism that its general director creates in this organization. […] The source indicates that the Company’s accountant, Eziz Garayev, is also a close relative of Gulnabat Dovletova. Garayev's brother is married to one of her four daughters. It turns out that a relative of the president’s sister is directly related to the organization’s finances.
Dovletova is trying to send them to international RCMP forums. […]
Feedback also came from Turkmen entrepreneurs who encountered Gulnabat Dovletova.
“I read Guvanch Khummedov’s comment and I can’t help but respond to it, because I myself was once stupid enough to make a donation to the Red Crescent. I’ll say right away that this was not on a voluntary basis, but under pressure from Dovletova. She takes advantage of the fact that she is a relative of the president, thanks to which she forces people in business to do what she needs. Every holiday, crowds of entrepreneurs bring carloads of gifts to her, and on her birthday, July 22, the entire large hall of the Society is filled with expensive flowers. There are so many flowers that casual visitors to the Society think that someone has died there. All the local pop performers bring flowers, expensive perfume and sweets, and she “protects” them too. None of them dares to perform somewhere at someone's celebration without the sanction of their sister. Among the businessmen I know, there are those who strive to be in Dovletova’s favor and receive bonuses from her in the form of unimpeded currency conversion, clearance of goods at customs, free travel abroad, receipt of land for construction, etc. I understand them, but I can’t do it myself...” - Insert K.ru]
Berdimuhamedov: "No one will be allowed to steal the people's money"
Original of this material© "Chronicle of Turkmenistan", Turkmenistan, 01/27/2018, Quote of the day. Tokmak
“No one will be allowed to steal the people’s money or profit at their expense,” the head of state emphasized, also saying that, if necessary, the powers of the State Service for Combating Economic Crimes will be further expanded and its staff will be increased, but with such a disgusting phenomenon as the theft of state funds, it will be over!”
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov
(talking about corruption at the meeting following the results of 2017).
In the 2016 Corruption Perceptions Index, Turkmenistan ranks 154 out of 176.
According to the Central Election Commission of Turkmenistan, in the presidential elections held on Sunday, February 12, the 59-year-old was re-elected as the head of Turkmenistan. In addition to Berdymukhamedov, eight more candidates were vying for the presidency.
According to the new version of the Constitution, the presidential term will be seven years instead of five.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Photo: www.globallookpress.com
Dossier
Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov was born on June 29, 1957 in the village of Babarab, Gekdepe district, Ashgabat region of Turkmenistan.
In 1979 he graduated from the Turkmen State Medical Institute. Doctor of Medical Sciences.
He began his career in 1979 as a dental intern at polyclinic No. 5 in Ashgabat.
From 1980 to 1982 he worked as a dentist in a rural outpatient clinic in the village of Errik-Kala, Ashgabat region.
In 1982-1985 - chief freelance dentist of the Ashgabat region.
From 1985 to 1987, he was the head of the dental department of the central district hospital of the village council of Keshi, Ashgabat region and the chief freelance dentist of the Ashgabat region.
In 1990-1995 - assistant at the department of therapeutic dentistry, associate professor, dean of the dental faculty of the Turkmen State Medical Institute.
In 1995-1997 - Director of the Dental Center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.
Since 1997 - Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.
On April 3, 2001, by decree of the President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan (Niyazov himself was the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan).
In November 2006, he represented Turkmenistan at the CIS summit in Minsk.
On December 21, 2006, by decision of the State Security Council of Turkmenistan and the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, he was appointed Acting President of Turkmenistan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan, in connection with the death of the first President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov (1940‑2006).
On February 11, 2007, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was elected the second president of Turkmenistan. The inauguration ceremony took place on February 14. According to tradition, Berdymukhamedov was presented with a presidential certificate and a distinctive sign in the form of a gold chain with an octagonal emblem. The new president walked along a white carpet, symbolizing a bright path. He was presented with a sachak - bread wrapped in a tablecloth, a quiver of arrows, the Koran and the Rukhnama.
In March 2007, he was elected head of the highest representative and legislative body of power in Turkmenistan - the People's Council (Khalk Maslakhaty).
On February 12, 2012, the second alternative presidential elections were held in Turkmenistan. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received 97.14% of the votes.
In 2017, he won the presidential election for the second time.
Cult of personality
Among the people, the president bears the unofficial title of “Leader of the Nation” and Arkadag (translated from Turkmen: Arkadag - “patron”). Many socio-cultural objects in Turkmenistan are named after him, as well as the names of his family members. Images and portraits of Berdimuhamedov are placed on thousands of posters and banners, countless photographs in the premises of institutions, in the cabins of cars.
Relations with Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin Putin highly appreciated Berdimuhamedov's contribution to the development of friendly relations between the two countries.
Earlier, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated that Russia and Turkmenistan have centuries-old friendly relations, which are constantly strengthened by new agreements and interaction in a variety of sectors: the economy (in 2015, trade turnover between the countries doubled), education and culture. In particular, every year about 17 thousand Turkmen students study at Russian universities.
“Of course, the cultural and humanitarian sphere is very important for us, because these are issues of education, science, culture and sports. We still remember today how you (Vladimir Putin) yourself founded the Russian-Turkmen school, which bears the name of the great poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Over the years, a galaxy of graduates have been produced who not only want to learn Russian, but they love Russian. In many of our secondary schools, and even in higher educational institutions, great importance is attached to the study of the Russian language. Periodicals, exhibitions, photo exhibitions - we have very good work, work on publishing printing is going on at a high level, specifically on Russian periodicals,” the President of Turkmenistan noted at a meeting with Putin in November 2016.
As for foreign policy, Turkmenistan and Russia have always understood each other, Berdimuhamedov noted.
“We are a neutral country. We are grateful to you for supporting us twice; you even co-authored the document on the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan. Therefore, we, as a neutral country, and the only neutral country in the world, conduct our foreign policy based on the Charter of the United Nations: ours is peace-loving - and in this regard, we also do a lot with you and, of course, we will continue this policy in the future “Berdimuhamedov emphasized then.
Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov (Turkmen: Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow) is a Turkmen statesman, since 2007 - the second president of Turkmenistan.
Biography
Born on June 29, 1957 in the village of Babarap, Geok-Tepinsky district, Ashgabat region, Turkmen SSR.
In 1979 he graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Turkmen State Medical Institute, then graduated from graduate school. Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor specializing in “Social hygiene and healthcare organization”. He began his career in 1980 as a dentist.
1990-1995 - Assistant of the Department of Therapeutic Dentistry, Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Turkmen State Medical Institute.
1995-1997 - Director of the Dental Center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.
Since 1997 - Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.
Since 2001 - Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan (Niyazov himself was the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan). In November 2006, he represented Turkmenistan at the CIS summit in Minsk.
Long before the death of S. A. Niyazov, rumors were spread in the press according to which Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov was the illegitimate son of Turkmenbashi. The reliability of this information is questioned, since the age difference between them is only 17 years.
After Niyazov’s death, he headed the funeral commission and, by decision of the State Security Council, became acting president. In accordance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan, Ovezgeldy Ataev, the chairman of the Mejlis, was supposed to head it, but a criminal case was suddenly opened against him.
On December 26, at a meeting of the Halk Maslakhaty (People's Council), he received the unanimous support of 2,507 delegates of the country's highest authority as a candidate for the presidency of Turkmenistan.
He won the presidential elections on February 11, 2007 with a result of 89.23% and became the second president of Turkmenistan.
On the morning of February 14, 2007, the Central Election Commission of Turkmenistan announced the name of the winner, and immediately after this the inauguration of the new president began. Berdymukhammedov was presented with a presidential certificate and a distinctive sign in the form of a gold chain with an octagonal emblem. The new president walked along a white carpet, symbolizing a bright path. He was presented with a sachak - bread wrapped in a tablecloth, a quiver of arrows, the Koran and the Rukhnama.
On April 23, 2007, he came on an official visit to Moscow and held a meeting with Putin, during which gas contracts, cooperation in the field of medicine and education, and the foreign policy orientation of the new Turkmen authorities were discussed.
Election promises
Berdymukhammedov promises to make the Internet accessible to residents of Turkmenistan (currently only 1% of the population uses the Internet, many objectionable sites are blocked.) In his televised speech, Berdymukhammedov said:
“I believe that the international Internet network and the latest communication technologies should be available to every citizen”
This promise has already been fulfilled. On February 17, 2007, two modern Internet cafes began operating in Ashgabat. An hour of Internet use costs just under 4 euros. As the Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan reported, in the near future there will be 15 Internet cafes in Ashgabat, and they will also appear in velayats (regional centers). Students and employees of all higher educational institutions and research institutes, as well as readers of the Central Scientific Library of Turkmenistan have free access to the Internet. ,
He also promised to reform the education system, returning schools to the provinces that had been abolished by Niyazov, and increasing the duration of education in secondary schools (from nine to ten years) and universities (from four to five years).
Berdymukhammedov intends to increase pensions, which were cut by almost 20 percent in 2006. On June 12, 2007, the Resolutions “On the activities of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan” and “On the improvement of the scientific system of Turkmenistan” were adopted, creating the Academy of Sciences, the Higher Attestation Committee and the Science and Technology Foundation of Turkmenistan.
With his first decree, Berdymukhammedov returned ten years of education to schools. Uniforms for higher education students were also abolished, and the traditional dresses used as school uniforms for girls were replaced with dark green, European-style dresses with aprons.
He also made some changes in state symbols and rituals, which are interpreted as a limitation of Niyazov’s personality cult: his name was removed first from the text of the oath, and then from the anthem of Turkmenistan and replaced with the word “president” (thus we are talking not only about the current president , that is, about Berdymukhammedov, but also about all future presidents, without exalting a specific person).
Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov refused the mass celebration of his birthday, canceled the mandatory concerts dedicated to his visits to various regions of the country, as well as the oath of allegiance to the president, which was sworn by employees, students and schoolchildren.
On June 29, 2007, on the night of the newly elected president’s birthday, the TV channels’ logo in the form of an image of a golden bust of Turkmenbashi disappeared from Turkmen television programs. Reports from Russian news services that this happened on July 6 were almost a week behind the facts.
Order "Watan" ("Watan" - "Motherland") (2007)
Order "Galkynysh" ("Galkynysh" - "Renaissance")
Order "Prezidentiň Ýyldyzy" ("President Yyldyzy" - "Star of the President")
Order of the President of Turkmenistan “Garaşsyz Türkmenistana bolan beýik soýgusi üçin” (“Garaşsyz of Turkmenistan bolan beyik soygusi uchin” - “For great love for Independent Turkmenistan”)
Medal “Watana bolan soýgusi üçin” (“Watana bolan soygusi uchin” - “For love of the Motherland”)
Medal “Türkmenistanyň Garaşsyzlygynyň 11 yyllygyna” (“Turkmenistan Garashsyzglygynyn 11 yyllygyna” - “11 years of independence of Turkmenistan”)
Jubilee medal “10 years of Astana” (Kazakhstan, 2008)
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov came to power in 2007. His subordinates call him “arkadag” - patron. In addition, he is the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the country's armed forces. Lawmakers also awarded him the title “Hero of Turkmenistan.” The president is limited only by his own inexperience, lack of independent power, the mentality of the population and Russian influence.
Berdymukhammedov is a complex combination of Soviet bureaucrat, traditional Turkmen tribal elite and intelligence, which, psychologically, fundamentally distinguishes him from his predecessor. Strong family ties and a professional work style suggest that he has the intention of achieving something in Turkmenistan while he is in office and is open to new ideas. However, his incompetence and desire to act gradually indicate that this process will be very long.
short biography
Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov was born in 1957 in the village of Babarap, Geok-Tepinsky district, Ashgabat region, Turkmen SSR. The president differs from his predecessor in many ways, especially in origin. Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, whose family was large, conservative but atheistic, seems to have absorbed traditional family values. His parents were both true to their ethnic Turkmen roots and loyal to the Soviet state. In the official biography published after taking office, his father is credited with instilling moderation and balance in his son and encouraging thoughtful decision-making in him.
National traditions are manifested in respectful attitude towards the wife. As is customary in Asian countries, almost nothing is reported about the president’s wife and his children. According to rumors, there are two women in his life - a Russian (possibly a mistress, but this has not been confirmed) and a Turkmen woman. Some argue that their marriage was arranged by agreement, but it is noteworthy that since taking office, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, whose wife is from the Mary region, has appointed many officials from there, as well as from Geok-Dep.
In 1979, he graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Turkmen State Medical Institute and began working as a dentist in a rural outpatient clinic. By 1987, Gurbanguly was gradually climbing the career ladder and went to Moscow for 3 years to study therapeutic dentistry. He returned to Ashgabat as a teacher at the Turkmen Medical Institute in 1990. In 1995, he went to work at the Ministry of Health, and two years later he headed it. In April 2001, Berdymukhammedov became deputy prime minister, responsible for education, science and health.
New President
Turkmenistan was left without Saparmurat Niyazov on December 21, 2006. Berdymukhammedov was appointed to act in his capacity by the Security Council. This decision surprised many in the international community as well as in the country itself. There were suggestions that the powerful Turkmen security service preferred a politically weak man. According to rumors circulating among emigrants, Berdymukhammedov is the illegitimate son of Niyazov. This is possible in terms of the age difference, but is considered unlikely.
On February 11, 2007, Berdymukhammedov was elected head of state, receiving almost 90% of the vote. After he took office, the diaspora and many citizens hoped for an easing of the total control that surrounded the former president of Turkmenistan. Some improvements were made: Berdymukhammedov restored pensions abolished by his predecessor, eased restrictions on travel abroad, and restored the 10th grade of secondary school abolished by Niyazov. However, in his first year as head of state, there were no signs that he would carry out real political and economic reforms that could lead to democratization of the country.
At the end of 2007, he replaced some of the portraits of Niyazov, which were a striking feature of Ashgabat, with his own. This gave rise to speculation that the new president, imitating his predecessor, began to instill his own cult of personality. In addition, Berdymukhammedov continued Niyazov's ambitious construction projects, including the construction of a new seaport and airport in the city of Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Sea coast. On February 13, 2012, he was elected to a second term amid widespread criticism that the election was marred by fraud.
Impressions of the President
Some of the foreign guests who met with the newly elected president, after talking with him, came to the conclusion that he was not as talented as they say. However, his ability to navigate complex subjects may be limited by the quality of reference materials provided to him and his level of familiarity with the topic. Those who worked with Berdymukhammedov when he was health minister say he was a professional communicator, knowledgeable, positive and open to constructive ideas and suggestions, especially in areas such as health and education. There were also times when he, like other Turkmen officials, was for a long time isolated from foreign scientific and technological developments and did not understand the essence of the proposals of non-governmental organizations or aid groups. However, when the leader of the project tried to explain its essence in a more understandable language, the president complained that they were talking to him like a child.
Personal qualities
There were rumors that Berdymukhammedov's son hit a pedestrian while racing his car on the Archabil highway in Ashgabat. The President is still offended by the high-ranking MNS official responsible for the temporary detention of the offender. Although there is no evidence of this, it is unlikely that his son spent much time in prison. Now he lives abroad.
There is also talk of the president's intolerance towards government officials who are insubordinate or less than decent. He reportedly fired two women for whispering and laughing when he entered the room. He requires female civil servants to cover their arms and legs and is not shy about criticizing their clothing choices. Berdymukhammedov has a reputation as a very demanding leader who instills fear in his employees. When he's angry, he kicks and screams, but when he's not with his direct subordinates, he's more reserved.
Also, his personal qualities are evidenced by the fact that the plane of President Niyazov of Turkmenistan was sold to the leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. Berdymukhammedov did not want to fly on it - this, they say, is a bad omen.
Niyazov?
Berdymukhammedov broke all records by surviving three government crises while serving in the cabinet. In 2003, Niyazov publicly reprimanded him for failing to improve the skills of new doctors and teachers, but he retained his post. In 2004, the former president of Turkmenistan once again publicly criticized him and fined him three months' salary for allowing medical and educational workers to pay arrears, but he again remained in office. They also say that before Niyazov’s death, his personal herd was struck by an epidemic, due to which many livestock died. The veterinarian was jailed, but the president did not strip Berdymukhammedov of his post. There is no explanation or theory about how he managed this, other than the rumor that he is the illegitimate son of Turkmenbashi. Niyazov could have become his father at the age of 17. Most likely, Berdymukhammedov's intellectual abilities and political instincts allowed him to take the necessary steps to maintain his position.
Revival after the "Golden Age"
Officially, Niyazov’s “golden age of Turkmen” has not yet ended (it should cover the entire 21st century). Nevertheless, the government under Berdymukhammedov put forward the slogan “new revival” to characterize the “new” era. True, it is not clear why the country needs to be restored after the “golden age”. As the Turkmen press explained in the early days of Berdymukhammedov’s rule, the nation “needs a new revival after the sudden death of Turkmenbashi, the great leader, befell the people. It is required by those who believe that the people are left without their “caring father.” In addition, the practice of restoring the president’s ancestral village, begun by Niyazov, continued under Berdymukhammedov.
Cult of personality
As for the replacement of the deified members of the Niyazov family, it seems that the President of Turkmenistan has decided to have mercy on this issue. Only Malikguly, Berdymukhammedov's father, plays an active role in creating a new national idea. Attempts by government ideologists to create a second Gurbansoltan-Eje (the cult name of the Turkmenbashi’s mother) from Berdymukhammedov’s mother failed. In local schools, Niyazov's images were replaced with posters of the new leader of the nation, depicting his life's journey and academic achievements, including a diploma from the Turkmen Medical Institute and a candidate's degree in dentistry from the Moscow Medical Institute.
The president, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, has created his own cult of personality and does not feel any discomfort about this. After his election, the Democratic Party, which supported the concept of one strong ruler, was tasked with creating a new leader. Activists across Turkmenistan began praising the president. Berdymukhammedov's omnipresence is reinforced by his portraits hanging throughout Ashgabat and the rest of the country. Photos of the president are posted on billboards installed at major intersections, in conference rooms of government buildings, and in banquet rooms of government restaurants and hotels. On Turkmenistan Airlines flights, a photo of Berdymukhammedov hangs in the front part of the cabin. There are also his portraits in the local gym where the president practices karate. In June 2010, he presided over the opening ceremony of the central mosque of the city of Mary, which was named in his honor.
Tireless writer
The power of the head of state is versatile - he is the main expert on all issues, from urban planning to medicine. Books by the President of Turkmenistan are published regularly. Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov writes about medicinal plants and about the “era of new revival” - the period of his reign.
State television channels show him presiding over government meetings almost every day, where he appears to sternly evaluate the performance of each deputy cabinet minister. He is also often shown riding a horse and playing other sports while inspecting the many new construction projects going on across the country. TV presenters and commentators attribute almost every positive news to “our dear president.” When the first South Korean buses appeared on the streets of Ashgabat, they were marked with the inscription “Gift of the Respected President.”
The achievements, sayings and resolutions of the President of Turkmenistan are often at the center of the speeches of Turkmen officials, even if the event has little in common with him.
The limits of narcissism
So far, Berdymukhammedov's self-praise has been somewhat limited. Until recently, he did not erect monuments to himself, like his predecessor, and did not print his image on banknotes. True, in 2015, a giant golden statue of Berdymukhammedov on horseback on top of a marble cliff was erected. Most private homes and restaurants do not have presidential posters. The names of months and days of the week do not bear his name or the names of his relatives, as was the case under Niyazov.
One-man theater
While there are undoubtedly people who have influence over Berdymukhammedov, the government of Turkmenistan - his deputies in the government - are extremely deferential to the president in both open and closed meetings. In many ways, they act as his service personnel. The President of Turkmenistan literally filled himself with himself - from weddings and New Years to everyday activities such as going to the gym. will continue to grow, since Turkmens do not know other models of local government. One sign of Berdymukhammedov's strengthening image as the sole source of power is plans to move some statues of the former president.
Coca-Cola lover
Berdymukhammedov is not as healthy as he is portrayed. He suffers from type 2 diabetes and likely long-term consequences associated with it. Given his weight problems and addiction to Coca-Cola, this diagnosis seems plausible.
The President of Turkmenistan drinks only Coca-Cola in small glass bottles. Every few months, a government official from his administration comes to the plant and randomly selects boxes of sweet water. Coca-Cola accounts for 60% of the company's product sales in Turkmenistan, mainly because the country's president, a dentist by profession, loves this drink.
Loading...
