Head of Marine and Inland Water Transport Service Fired
On October 10, President Berdymukhamedov fired the Chairman of Marine and Inland Water Transport Service, Meilis Mutdikov, for “gross violations, a failure to fulfill contractual obligations, and the weakening of organizational work.” However, the real reason behind the dismissal of this public official became known through reliable sources. Apparently, he repeatedly borrowed the presidential yacht “Galkynyş” and, accompanied by a young woman and sometimes by a band of musicians, set sail to sea, far from the shore for his leisure.
Source: Turkmenistan Chronicles
Railway Transport Deputy Minister Dismissed
In accordance with the decree signed by President Berdymukhamedov, Turkmen Railway Transport Deputy Minister, Charymyrat Charyev, was dismissed from his post for shortcomings in his work.
Source: trend.az
Turkmen Authorities Win in Battle with Bazaar Traders
The Mayor of Lebap region came out on top in a conflict with bazaar traders, and the Farap market is once again open only in the evenings. The mayor ordered to limit the working hours of the bazaar significantly during the cotton picking season, but when it was announced that the cotton quotas were met, the traders lost their patience, broke the locks on the gates of the bazaar and resumed trading. They managed to get the market working regular hours for some days, until the mayor showed them who was boss . He enforced the short working hours, and on the morning of November 6, the police cleared out the trading area and warned them that severe measures would be taken against those who violate the official orders. The bazaar will begin working normally again after November 25th, when Turkmenistan celebrates Harvest Day.
Source: Turkmenistan Chronicles
Berdymukhamedov’s Grandson Rode Horse in State Circus Arena
On November 11, President Berdymukhamedov together with his grandson visited Ashgabat’s State Circus. “This visit of the head of state was unplanned, private, and it was an unexpected and very exciting event for the circus performers and the viewers, mainly schoolchildren of Ashgabat”, reported Turkmenistan State Information Agency (TDH). Despite his visit ostensibly being unannounced, a teacher in a local school in Ashgabat told RFE/RL's Turkmen Service that the children in attendance were selected several days ahead of time and had been rehearsing for days before Berdymukhamedov’s arrival. At the end of the show the President entered the circus arena, because his grandson wanted to ride a circus horse, and at the end, presented the circus director with USD 50,000.
Source: RFE/RL, gundogar.org
Training for Journalists Underway in Ashgabat
The Institute of International Relations of Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry held a series of trainings titled “Mass media in the modern information space” and "Modern methods of teaching journalism”, organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and the Foreign Ministry. Students and academic staff of the Institute of International Relations and national journalists participated in the training. Elena Zaburdaeva, the Deputy Dean of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (Russian Federation), facilitated a session on the practices of the foreign mass media.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
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