Turkmenistan: Customs Service Chief Sent Packing

The head of Turkmenistan's Customs Service has been sacked for "shortcomings" in his work.

Orazgeldi Esenov, a former mayor of Ashgabat, was appointed acting chairman of the agency in January of 2009 and confirmed in the post last July. He was dismissed after he gave an annual report on the Custom Service's work at an expanded meeting of the State Security Council on January 22, the Turkmen television channel Altyn Asyr reported.

Esenov caused dissatisfaction "in terms of the realization of important public policy priorities, in particular, increased international cooperation," the semi-official Turkmenistan.ru reported on January 25. Esenov is being replaced by his deputy, Meretgeldi Berdiyev.