Turkmenistan Domestic Developments

Turkmen President Criticizes Agriculture, Trade, Textile Sectors
On August 3, at a governmental meeting on the performance of the agriculture, trade, and textile sectors, President Berdymukhamedov harshly criticized the Ministry of Agriculture for the poor grain and cotton harvest and for the excessive expenses required for their production. As to the performance of the Ministry of Water Resources, the President highlighted the slow rate of restoring saline soils and farming development. In addition, the President criticized the heads of regional administrations, the leaders of the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations, the State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange, and the Ministry of Textile Industry, and expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of construction and renovation of certain facilities.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru 

Turkmenistan’s Minister of Health severely reprimanded
President of Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov severely reprimanded the Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, Gurbanmamet Elyasov, for unsatisfactory performance of official duties, lax control over subordinate enterprises, and deterioration of discipline. The President warned Elyasov that he would be relieved of his duties, should he fail to improve the situation.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru 

Turkmenistan’s State Service for Fight against Drugs Renamed as Healthy Society Protection Service
The President of Turkmenistan signed a decree renaming the State Service for Combatting Drugs as the Healthy Society Protection Service, and appointed Lt. Col. Atadurdy Osmanov as
the head of the service.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru 

Garaev Appointed New Head of Border Guards Service
President Berdymukhamedov appointed the former Head of the State Service for Combatting Drugs, Major-General Aman Garaev, as the Head of the State Border Guards Service and Commander of Turkmenistan’s Border Troops. The former Head of the State Border Guards, Myrat Islamov, was appointed to serve as vice-rector for the educational work of Turkmenistan’s Border Guards Institute.
Source: trend.az 

President Berdymukhamedov Claims Avaza Fully Booked
On August 3, at a governmental meeting, President Berdymukhamedov told Vice-Premier Baimurad Hojamukhammedov that the work of the Avaza national tourist resort requires certain improvements. In particular, he said that it’s impossible to book a room in this area of the Caspian as all the hotels are fully booked. He stressed that while this is a good sign of Avaza’s popularity, which receives many tourists from inside the country and from abroad, it is necessary to expedite the construction of new facilities and entertainment centers. The President said that 20 more large-scale facilities are to be built in Avaza by next summer, but even that will not be sufficient. He stressed that great efforts are to be taken to expand the Avaza resort. According to independent sources, however, most of the “state of the art” hotels in Avaza remain empty.
Source: gundogar.org 

Airline Tickets in Short Supply in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan’s national airline “Turkmenkhovaellary” now has police patrols keeping order at its sales offices, where people queue in very long lines hoping to buy plane tickets. According to some reports, there will be no tickets for some international destinations before October. It is also difficult to purchase tickets for domestic flights.
Source: rus.ozodi.org 

Pseudo-Art in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan’s Art Academy students are forced to work for free while completing governmental orders. Their professors make them download famous artworks from the Internet and prepare copies of the artwork, but adding some Turkmen features. Thus, the students create copies, which deck the halls of elite facilities in Ashgabat.
Source: chrono-tm.org 

Turkmenistan to Plant Trees to Protect Aral Area
Turkmen authorities have decided to plant trees in the Dashoguz region on the eastern shore of Sarakamysh Lake near the Aral Sea. The new trees will be planted on a territory of 20.000 hectares, will protect the area from strong winds blowing from the Aral Sea and will help combat desertification and soil salinization. Turkmen authorities hope that the creation of a large wooded zone will improve the environment in the area.
Source: fergananews.com