Berdymukhamedov Reshuffles His Subordinates
On July 6, at a Cabinet meeting, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov made some changes among cabinet personnel. The President removed Atagulyev Nokerguly Khojagulyevich from the position of the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers due to a job transfer. The manager of the President’s Office and the Cabinet of ministers, Khojamukhammet Mukhammedov, was appointed acting Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers in charge of the textile industry and trade. The President removed Merdan Bairamov from the position of the Minister of Agriculture for serious shortcomings in his work, and appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Rejep Bazarov, as the new minister. The President removed Yoldash Ashyrov from the position of the Chairman of Bread Products Association due to a job transfer, and appointed Yalkapberi Charyev as the new Chairman of the Association. The President removed Ashyr Sarybaev from the position of the Chairman of the state concern Turkmen Automobile Roads for serious shortcomings in performing his duties, and appointed the former Head of Road Construction Department, Perkhat Meredov, as the new Chairman. The President appointed Myrat Artykov as the Minister of Energy and Babaniyaz Italmazov as the Minister of Industry. The President also removed a number of regional officials for failing to fulfill the state order for grain production.
Source: chrono-tm.org, Turkmenistan.gov.tm
President Berdymukhamedov Reshuffled Heads of Universities
President Berdymukhamedov removed Guljemal Ezizova from her position as the Rector of State Medical University for significant shortcomings in her work, and replaced her with Aijemal Orazalieva, the former Head of the Healthcare Department of the Cabinet of Ministers. The President appointed the former Deputy Rector of the State Transport and Communication Institute, Nurnepes Kuliev, as the Rector of this Institute. The President appointed Bairammurad Atamanov as the Rector of Turkmenistan State Institute for Construction and Architecture, and Mered Ashirbaev as the Rector of Turkmenistan State Oil and Gas Institute. The former Rector of the State Energy Institute, Alladurdy Ataev, was appointed Chairman of the National Space Agency under the President of Turkmenistan, and Khajimed Soltanov was appointed Rector of the State Energy Institute.
Source: gundogar.org
President Berdymukhamedov Removes 14 Regional Officials
According to Turkmenistan’s State News Agency, on July 6, at a Cabinet meeting convened to examine the performance of state officials during the first half a year of 2012, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov harshly criticized regional administration personnel, and removed 14 officials, who were in charge of various districts of Akhalsk, Mary, Dashoguz, Balkan, and Lebap regions.
Source: gundogar.org
Nomination of Candidates to Parliament and Local Government Begins in Turkmenistan
The nomination of candidates for the Gengeshi (local government bodies) and deputies of the Mejlis (parliament) in two election districts began on July 5, 2012, the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda of Turkmenistan said. The elections are scheduled for August 19.
Source: trend.az
http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/turkmenistan/2043483.html
Turkmenistan’s Healthcare System Degrading – Radio Azatlyk
According to the US Central Investigation Agency (CIA), the average life expectancy in Turkmenistan today amounts to 68.84 years, and people older than 65 compose 4.1 percent of total population. In Europe, Monaco is the country with the longest life expectancy - 89,68. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and its World Healthcare Statistics 2012, Turkmenistan spends 92 dollars per person on healthcare. Among European countries this figure is highest in Luxemburg, where, according to the CIA, the average life expectancy amounts to 79,75 years. In Turkmenistan there are 13 stillborns for every 1000 live births, and the death rate among live births is 23 children for every 1000. In Luxemburg these figures are 3 and 1 respectively. Turkmen children die from diarrhea, premature birth, pneumonia, asphyxia, sepsis and other diseases, says WHO. At the end of June, President Berdymukhamedov celebrated his 55 birthday. Shortly before that he promised that people in Turkmenistan will live up to a minimum of 85 years. During Turkmenistan’s independence the country’s healthcare system has undergone numerous changes for the worst: clinics and hospitals have been closed; medical personnel decreased; the period of studies, including at the medical university, has been shortened by a couple of years; and the curriculum focused more on ideology than on actual medicine. During the last 10 years the changes in Turkmenistan’s healthcare were orchestrated by the current President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, first in his position as Health Minister, and later as a Vice-Premier in charge of the health sector. Turkmenistan’s authorities offer no comments or explanations for the failure of attempted reforms in the healthcare system, and instead of conducting real changes, shift the emphasis to healthy lifestyle propaganda.
Source: gundogar.org
Turkmen Prefer Receiving Education Abroad
Reforms in the education system, proclaimed by Turkmen authorities more than five years ago, did not deliver, says Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights (TIHR) in an article published on the organization’s website. Most of Turkmenistan’s young people prefer to study in foreign universities, including in Kyrgyzstan, even knowing that many foreign diplomas would not be recognized back in their home country. According to TIHR, this is due to the low quality of national education and the sizable and numerous bribes which must be paid to gain admission to national educational institutions.
Source: chrono-tm.org
Ashgabat Held Sculpture Exhibition with Nude Figures
On June 29, Ashgabat opened an exhibition of works of the Russian culture attaché in Turkmenistan, Erdem Tsybikjapov, where for the first time in many years nude figures were exposed. Nudes are not well accepted in Turkmenistan’s art, and since the times of the former dictator, Saparmurat Nyazov, artists were not allowed to use naked human forms in their works. Thus this exhibition shocked some viewers. According to Turkmenistan Initiative for Human Rights, the shock resulted from the decision of the authorities to permit such an exhibition, rather than from the portrayed nudity.
Source: chrono-tm.org
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