Turkmenistan has restructured the state security council, a prime body composed of the heads of armed forces and law enforcement agencies.
The post of DPM (deputy prime minister) for security has been abolished.
The DPM for security was also the secretary of the state security council. With the abolishment of this post the responsibility as secretary of state security council has been assigned to the minister of defence.
The decision was announced during an expanded session of the state security council chaired by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov on Wednesday, 6 April 2022.
The main item on the agenda was the formation of the state security council under the newly elected President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
The heads of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies were confirmed in their jobs except the interior minister who was fired because of ‘shortcomings’ in his work. A new minister of interior has been appointed.
Here is the composition of the new state security council:
- Lieutenant General Begench Gundogdyev, Minister of Defence of Turkmenistan, he will also serve as Secretary of State Security Council
- State Counselor of Justice Class 3, Batyr Atdaev Batyr, Prosecutor General of Turkmenistan
- Police Lieutenant Colonel Muhammet Hydyrov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan – he replaces Ovezdurdy Khodzhaniyazov who has been fired because of ‘shortcomings in his work
- Colonel Gurbanmyrat Annaev, Minister of National Security of Turkmenistan
- Colonel Yazgeldi Nuryev, the head of the State Border Service of Turkmenistan, Commander of the Border Troops
- Senior Counselor of Justice Merettagan Taganov, Minister of Adalat of Turkmenistan
- Colonel Maksat Khudaikulyev, Chairman of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan
- Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Atagarayev, Chairman of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan
It must be noted that according to the Constitution of Turkmenistan, the Prosecutor General, the Chairman of the Supreme Court, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minister of Adalat are appointed with the consent of the Halk Maslakhaty of Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan.
The president thanked Colonel-General Charymyrat Amanov for his services. He was the DPM for security and the secretary of the state security council. Since the position of DPM for security has been abolished, Amanov was also relieved of his responsibility as secretary of the state security council and transferred to some other job.
During the meeting the heads of armed forces and law enforcement agencies presented reports for the period Jan-Mar 2022.
The composition of the State Commission on Cyber Security was approved during the meeting.
The president asked the minister of defence to keep the military equipment in working and active condition.
Instructions were given for the preparation of military and naval exercises to be held during this year.
The president asked the minister of Adalat to speed up the work of digitalization of the legal database and run the awareness campaign to acquaint the population with the contents of the laws of Turkmenistan.
The chairman of the state customs service was told that the customs authorities must assist in the development of foreign trade and the national economy. In order to develop the transport and logistics and transport and transit corridors of the country, as well as to accelerate the turnover across the customs border, conditions should be created for the prompt transportation of transit goods and vehicles, said the president.
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During the Watan news show of Turkmen TV, the report on the meeting of the state security council showed lengthy clip of the drivers of the public and private vehicles who were in gross violation of the traffic rules.
Most of them were found over speeding on the city roads in Ashgabat, mainly on the G Kuliyev and Andalib, streets and Gurbansoltan eje road. Some of them were going 180km per hour in the zone where the speed limit was 60km per hour.
The confessional statements of the drivers were shown on the TV and it was reported that the legal action was proceeding against them.
The report on these dangerous traffic violations was presented during the meeting by the prosecutor general.
The responsibility for traffic management and safety lies with the ministry of interior. /// nCa, 7 April 2022