The President of Turkmenistan outlines the priorities of the Mejlis activity

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov had a meeting with the deputy corps of the Mejlis where objectives of National Parliament have been specified and priority directions of law-making work in the context of the Programme of social and economic development of the country on 2019 – 2025 have been outlined.

Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers, heads of ministries and departments, representatives of political parties, non-governmental organizations and mass media took part in the meeting.

Having greeted the participants, the Head of the State addressed the with speech.

Having noted that our country has proven to the world the ability to provide the dynamics of its own development, having reached important levels in social and economic progress, the President stated with delight significant contribution of the deputies of the Mejlis in this success, improvement of legislation base and expressed cordial gratitude to the parliamentarians.

Time does not stay still. The world is changing. New technology and large-scale projects come up. We have recently adopted the Programme of social and economic development of the country in 2019 – 2025 to keep pace with the world economy, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said, having highlighted that we have to work hard and honestly all together – the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, the Government and society, for its implementation.

The Head of the State named the formation of legal foundations of major reforms, set out in the Programme, steadfast improvement of existing and adoption of new legal acts aimed at the improvement of the efficiency of the branches under conditions of marketing economy, their integration to the world economic system, support of the entrepreneurship initiatives of the citizens as well as stimulation of investment activity, privatization and re-organization of the state-owned facilities into joint stock ventures as the utmost objectives of the Parliament.

Attraction of investments including foreign was named as an important term of comprehensive implementation of this Programme. To achieve this, it is necessary to improve the laws providing the creation of favourable investment, legal, financial and other conditions for attraction of foreign and local investments, to encourage the establishment of modern facilities provided with latest technologies, which are able to make competitive production.

The Head of the State has also noted great importance of the Programme of development of private entrepreneurship pointing out the significant of coordinated work of the branches of national economy and non-governmental sector in the conditions of marketing relations, systematic analysis and improvement of legislation in this sphere. It is time to develop the law on the state and private partnership, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

In his speech, the President has also touched upon the subjects of development and modernization of the legislation in the spheres of rational use of the state resources, regulation of budget and tax, monetary and credit relations in accordance with universal standards on international law, banking activity taking into account the expansion of banking services and improvement of reliability of bank deposits. Having noted that it is necessary to improve payment settlement system, implement new achievements and open private banks relying on the world practice, the Head of the State said about the appropriateness to adopt the laws on payment system as well as on instalments and mortgage.

The Concept of development of digital economy in Turkmenistan in 2019 – 2025 has also to serve to comprehensive implementation of the state programme, Turkmen leader continued, having focused the attention of the deputies on the necessity of immediate work for creation of reliable legal foundations of development of national digital economy.

Social protection of the population has to be under special control during new state of development of marketing relations. This is one of the key aspects of our state policy, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

Keeping of high level of employment of the population is also an integral part of social policy of the state. In this regard, the President urged the deputies to carry our specific targeted work for improvement of the legislation on labour relations of the citizens and their social protection, having expressed the idea about relative amendments and addendums to the Labour Code, the Code of Social Protection of the Population and the Law on Trilateral Commission for Regulation of Social and Labour Relations. In this context, the necessity to analyse the legislation on support of the citizens who require special assistance and services and to develop new forms was pointed out.

We have fundamentally improved equipment and facilities base of educational facilities of the country for the last year. Nevertheless, our success should not make us feel relaxed, the Head of the State noted. Strategy of further social and economic development and large-scale transformations require the reforms of educational systems, which provides the amendments and addendums of the legislation related to financing, management and structuring of this system.

The Head of the State said that first, it is necessary to carry out the work for introduction of new educational standards, advanced teaching methods, to provide the availability of the internet for all educational facilities.

Speaking of the Concept of development of digital education system, which is aimed at the provision of all levels with educational information in electronic format, improvement of knowledge quality and educational methods, the President has also aimed the deputies of the Mejlis at the improvement of relative legislation.

New laws will be required for solution of the objectives on development of science, which is one of the priorities of the policy of our independent state. In this context, the President pointed out the importance to provide the guarantees of free scientific activity and social protection.

It is necessary to encourage and stimulate the work of the scientists paying attention to the attraction of youth to science, the Head of the State highlighted, having also noted that it is necessary to provide the measures for collection, spread and presentation of scientific and technical information.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov named the provision of wide use of the achievements of scientific and technical progress, implementation of advanced technologies to the production, involvement of growing intellectual potential as well as bringing of national legislation to correspondence with the standards of international convention, which our country has joined.

Issues appearing in relation to legal protection and use of inventions and industrial samples are also very important.

The Head of the State said about the appropriateness of adoption of new laws on electronic documents and electronic document management system, products and service labelling with the country of origin, rationalization work.

According to the President, it is also necessary to continue improving the legislation on issue of permit for certain works and services, their relevance with the requirement of certain standards. In this regard, the importance of modernization of the Laws of Turkmenistan on Licensing of Certain Activities and on Standardization.

In his speech, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted the subject of youth affairs, having noted that our country has the most favourable conditions for comprehensive participation of young citizens in social life as well as in social and economic, political and cultural life of the state. It is necessary to continue working on relative amendments and addendums of existing legislation on upbringing of younger generation as well as in the sphere of social support of young specialists working in rural areas including for provision of available living for them.

After, the Head of the State outlined key aspects and utmost directions of legal activity for provision of further development of the country.

In particular, the President called upon the parliamentarians to pay special attention to the modernization of the Laws on Ethics and Behaviour of the State Officials and on the State Service.

Increment of number of farming associations, attraction of entrepreneurs to agricultural production, growing of good yields of various agricultural crops, solution of water related issues, provision of food abundance in the country are the most important objectives in coming period. It is not only the preferences provided by the State to agricultural producers that are important but also timely amendments of legal acts by the deputies of the Mejlis, head of the State Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted.

Following new requirements, modernization of the Codes on criminal, administration violations, civil and arbitrage court.

Turkmen leader has also justified the necessity of renewal of legal measures for government support of cultural, physical training and sports development.

Improvement of laws for provision of the population with necessary construction materials by affordable prices, construction of multi-storey residential buildings in etrap centres and big settlements, creation of favourable social and living conditions for young specialists especially for doctors and teachers, agronomists and other were highlighted among current directions. It will help them to settle in in rural areas.

It is necessary to continue working on adoption of new and amendments and addendums of existing laws on environment protection. At the same time, it is necessary to draft the law on ecological audit as well as to consolidate the efforts and focus them on the development of the Code of Turkmenistan on Land and other legal documents.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov continued that the taking of relative decisions by the Mejlis of Turkmenistan on improvement of administration and territorial division of etraps, velayats and Ashgabat is expected this year. In this regard, it is appropriate to continue the development of national legislation based on the experience gained in the system of administration and territorial arrangement.

It is also necessary to modernize legislation base of transport sphere. Stability of economic, social and living systems mainly depends on reliable work of transport complex.

The Mejlis will have to continue the work on improvement of the legislation that regulates the development and activity of transport infrastructure for attraction of the investments to the branch, development of private companies and competition in transport services.

Deputies have also to focus on the importance of the laws outlining legal aspect of political parties and public organizations. Continuing of the work for improvement of regulatory and legal acts in this spheres is one of the most important objectives of new stage of development of our society.

After, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov briefly highlighted the subjects of foreign activity of the state, which have been discussed in details with the diplomats in December last year.

As is known, our state is committed to foreign Concept of permanent positive neutrality, which is approved by the Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly. In this context, Turkmenistan pursues peaceful policy aimed at support of peace and stability in Ventral Asian and on the planet.

Relations of Turkmenistan with other countries and international organizations, at first with the United Nations and its structures, provides the necessity of further improvement of national legislation in the sphere of foreign policy system and diplomatic initiatives. We have to pay the attention to creation and improvement of legal mechanisms of provision of peaceful course of foreign policy of our neutral state. In this context, the objectives of the Mejlis deputies include legal support of Turkmen neutrality, reveal of its legal nature and popularization of the initiatives of our country in the world arena, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted.

Activity of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan on establishment and development of Inter-parliamentarian dialog deserves special attention, the President of the country continued, having urged the deputies to carry our fruitful work for improvement of the relations with foreign parliamentarians. Cooperation with international organizations, at first with the structures of the United Nations, has to be carried out with the aim at specific results.

At present, the Mejlis of Turkmenistan has signed bilateral documents on cooperation with the Parliaments of dozens of world countries, owing to which friendly and partnership relations have been established. Inter-parliamentary Commission for cooperation with the parliaments of foreign states has been founded.

The Head of the State has recommended the Mejlis deputies to continue working on the development of friendship relations and fruitful cooperation with competent international and Inter-parliamentarian organizations.

Summing up what was said above, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted that bringing of national legislation in accordance with time requirements has to be based on primordial principles of justice, equality and humanity. These are the principles that make the base of our home and foreign policy.

Today, the activity of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan has to be carried out in accordance with the work of the Cabinet of Ministers, ministries and departments have to carry out relative work for timely adoption of regulatory and legal acts.

It is necessary to adopt required provisions, instructions and other documents in order the laws would not remain on the paper, the Head of the State noted.

In their turn, the Mejlis of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Justice have to control this work. Enhancement of legal culture of the population is one of the main directions of activity of National Parliament, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said, therefore, it is necessary to do efficient work for explanation of the content of new laws. For this purpose, it is necessary to use the capabilities of mass media – newspapers and magazines, TV and radio channels, for popularization of the provisions of legal acts.

The Head of the State has also noted the necessity to hold the elections on high level in March.

Turkmen leader expressed the confidence that goals and objectives highlighted in his speech would help in further law-making activity of the deputies.

The speech of the Head of the State was listened with great enthusiasm and was repeatedly interrupted by loud applauses.

After, the Head of the State gave floor to the Head of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan G. Mammedova who, having expressed the gratitude to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for support rendered to the work of National Parliament, noted historical importance of current meeting where important directions of work of deputy corps and law-making objectives have been reviewed.

This is legal foundation that outlines the stability of the state, makes conditions for the wealth of the society and every family, all citizens of the country, which was indicated again by the speech of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at current meeting with parliamentarians.

The Speaker of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan assured the Head of the State that following set objectives, the deputies would continue improving legal base of the country tgether with the Cabinet of Ministers, relative ministries and departments and local administration authorities making their contribution to current reforms.

Finishing the meeting, the Head of the State wished strong health, family prosperity and great success to all.

Having said goodbye to the participants, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov left the building of National Parliament. 

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Session of the deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan was continued in working format. The agenda included priority subjects of further law-making activity in the context of the objectives set by the President to deputy corps.

Speaking of the importance of the meeting with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the deputies noted that programme speech of the Head of the State, which outlined ley directions of activity of the Mejlis in new term, would be the guidance for the parliamentarians.

Representative of legislation power would continue improving public order, legal provision of fundamental changes, progressive economic and social reforms supporting bringing the education, science and culture of our country to new level, its intellectual potential supporting ecological policy of the state, intensification of democratic processes and promotion of foreign initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan.