Berdymukhamedov senior and his 'elders' will hold the reins of Turkmenistan

After having his son Serdar elected president, his father Gurbanguly controls the life of the country in an even more extensive way through a Council presided over by him which must "supervise" the state machine. Starting with the economic reforms.

Ashgabat (AsiaNews) - The strategy of the ex-president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, is becoming increasingly clear after handing over the supreme office to his son Serdar.

Appointed head of the Khalk Maslakhaty, the "Council of State" or Turkmen Senate, the "senior" leader also known as Arkadag ("father of the country") controls the life of the country in an even more extensive and "elevated" way, leaving the handling of current affairs to "junior" .

In fact, a "Council of Elders" was installed at the top of the Senate, a structure initially designed to lead the foundation named after the same "senior" for the aid of children and youth, to which "to be allowed to develop all their potential".

The "elders" who protect the future of the country will also have to supervise the activities of the senators, and the functioning of the entire state machine, "forming a legislative basis capable of achieving the desired results in every field of social life".

All this to prepare for the next session of joint chambers of the Khalk Maslakhaty, on 24 September, the country's independence day, to "evaluate together the successes achieved" in the last period. As Gurbanguly explained, the Senate "must work in close collaboration with the whole parliament and the government", to analyze the situation especially with regard to the "six main directions".

The first area of priority interest is the "formation of joint-stock companies", which must be guaranteed the necessary guarantees against the risks that shareholders may run.

This will require a stock market and an exchange for fund operations, which support a major investment policy in the sphere of migration, and in support of the local currency, the Turkmen manat.

The second commitment is "the use of new methods and technologies in the field of training, and in the preparation of specialists", especially for the most requested sectors. Therefore, the need to improve the health system, the quality of medicinal products and the safety of food products is underlined.

The fourth priority concerns the "modernization and improvement of activities in the oil, chemical, construction and textile fields", thanks to an improvement in the economic, legal and financial climate.

Very important is the "development of agriculture", which must guarantee the country's food security and increase production for export. Finally, "since Turkmenistan is known throughout the world as a state in a phase of great development, in which peace and well-being reign", it will be necessary to expand collaborative relations with foreign countries and international organizations.

These aims, solemnly exposed by the father Berdymukhamedov, had been anticipated in the plenary meeting of the council of ministers by the president-son, insisting on raising the currency rate and on investments.

The Khalk Maslakhaty will therefore take care to "inform the president of Turkmenistan of all the work in the economic field", and its leader "Arkadag" has undertaken to prepare as soon as possible the "reports on the country's achievements" in all fields, to be offered to the junior as a viaticum and basic text for all domestic and foreign policy.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Gurbanguly once again praised the contribution of the Council of Elders, which allows everyone to "enjoy the immutable fidelity to the legacy of our predecessors, in the wisdom of admonitions, which constitutes the most sacred principle of the life of the Turkmen people".

This will allow us to act appropriately, so the lower house of parliament "will support the government's action", while the Elders and the Khalk Maslakhaty, under the leadership of the father of the homeland, "will be in direct contact with the people".