President of Turkmenistan. Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov came to power in 2007. The subordinates call it "arcadag" - the cartridge. In addition, he is prime minister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country. Lawmakers also honored his title of "Hero of Turkmenistan". Limits the president only own inexperience, the lack of independent power, the mentality of the population and Russian influence.

Berdymukhammedov is a complex combination of the Soviet bureaucrat, the traditional Turkmen tribal elite and intelligence, which psychologically fundamentally distinguishes him from his predecessor. Strong family ties and professional style of work suggest that he has the intention to achieve something in Turkmenistan while he is in his post and open to new ideas. However, his incompetence and desire to act gradually indicate that this process will be very lengthy.

short biography

Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov was born in 1957 in the village of Babarap of the Geok-Tepinsky district of the Ashgabat region of the Turkmen SSR. The president differs from his predecessor in many, especially origin. Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, whose family was large, conservative, but atheistic, seems to have absorbed traditional family values. His parents were at the same time faithful to their ethnic Turkmen roots and loyal to the Soviet state. In his official biography, published after taking office, his father is given credit for raising in his son moderation and balance, encouraging him to make deliberate decision-making.

National traditions are manifested in respect for his wife. As is customary in Asian countries, almost nothing is reported about the president's wife and his children. According to rumors, in his life two women - Russian (perhaps a mistress, but this is not confirmed) and the Turkmen. Some argue that their marriage was arranged by agreement, but it is noteworthy that since Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, whose wife came from the Mary region, has appointed many officials from there, and also from Geok Dep.

In 1979 he graduated from the Dental Faculty of the Turkmen State Medical Institute and began working as a dentist in a rural outpatient clinic. By 1987, Gurbanguly gradually moved up the career ladder and for 3 years left for Moscow to study therapeutic dentistry. In Ashgabat, he returned to the position of lecturer of the Turkmen Medical Institute in 1990. In 1995, he went to work in the Ministry of Health, and two years later he headed it. In April 2001, Berdymukhammedov became deputy prime minister responsible for education, science and health.

The new president

Turkmenistan remained without Saparmurat Niyazov on December 21, 2006. Berdymukhammedov was appointed temporarily acting as the Security Council. This decision surprised many in the international community, as well as in the country itself. It was speculated that a powerful Turkmen security service preferred a politically weak person. According to rumors circulating among the emigrants, Berdymukhammedov is the illegitimate son of Niyazov. This is possible in terms of age difference, but it is considered unlikely.

On February 11, 2007, Berdymukhammedov was elected head of state, receiving almost 90% of the vote. After his assumption of office as a diaspora, many citizens hoped to relax the total control that the former president of Turkmenistan surrounded. Some improvements were made: Berdymukhammedov restored pensions canceled by his predecessor, softened restrictions on going abroad, and restored the 10th grade of secondary school, abolished by Niyazov. However, in the first year of his tenure as head of state, there were no signs that he would conduct real political and economic reforms that could lead to the democratization of the country.

At the end of 2007, he replaced some of Niyazov's portraits, which were a striking feature of Ashgabat, his own. This gave rise to speculation that the new president, imitating his predecessor, began to implant his own personality cult. In addition, Berdymukhammedov continued Niyazov's grandiose construction projects, including the construction of a new sea port and an airport in Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Sea coast. On February 13, 2012, he was elected for a second term amid widespread criticism that the elections were accompanied by fraud.

Impressions of the President

Some of the foreign guests who met with the newly elected president, after talking with him, came to the conclusion that he was not as talented as they say. However, his ability to navigate in complex subjects can be limited by the quality of reference materials provided to him and the degree of his familiarity with the topic. Those who worked with Berdymukhammedov when he was Minister of Health say that he was a professional interlocutor, competent, positive and open to constructive ideas and proposals, especially in such areas as health and education. There were also times when he, like other Turkmen officials, for a long time was isolated from foreign scientific and technical developments and did not understand the essence of the proposals of non-governmental organizations or aid groups. However, when the project leader tried to explain his essence in a more understandable language, the president complained about what they say to him as a child.

Personal qualities

It was rumored that Berdymuhammedov's son knocked a pedestrian during his race in his car on the Archabil highway in Ashgabat. The President is still insulted by a high-ranking official of the Ministry of National Security, who is responsible for the temporary detention of the offender. Although there is no confirmation of this, it is unlikely that his son spent much time in prison. Now he lives abroad.

They also talk about the intolerance of the president to government officials who do not observe the subordination or are not completely decent. According to rumors, he fired two women for whispering and laughing when he entered the room. From the civil servants of the female, he demands to cover his arms and legs and does not hesitate to criticize their choice of clothes. Berdymukhammedov has a reputation as a very demanding leader, who inspires fear in his employees. When he is angry, he kicks everything with his feet and screams, but not with his direct subordinates he is more reserved.

Also, his personal qualities are evidenced by the fact that the plane of President of Turkmenistan Niyazov was sold to the leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. Berdymukhammedov did not want to fly on it - they say it's a bad omen.

The illegitimate son of Niyazov?

Berdymukhammedov broke all records, having survived three government crises while working in the Cabinet. In 2003, Niyazov publicly chastised him for not being able to upgrade the qualifications of new doctors and teachers, but he retained his post. In 2004, the former president of Turkmenistan once again publicly criticized him and fined him three months' salary for allowing salary arrears for medical and educational workers, but he again remained in the office. It is also said that before his death, Niyazov's personal herd was struck by an epidemic, which killed many livestock. The veterinarian was imprisoned, but the president did not deprive Berdymukhammedov of his post. There is no explanation or theory about how he did it, except for the rumor that he is the illegitimate son of Turkmenbashi. Niyazov could become his father at the age of 17. Most likely, Berdymuhammedov's intellectual abilities and his political flair allowed him to take the necessary steps to maintain his position.

Revival after the "golden age"

Officially, the "golden age of Turkmen" Niyazov has not yet ended (it should cover the entire 21st century). Nevertheless, the government under Berdymukhammedov, in order to characterize the "new" era, put forward the slogan "a new revival". However, it is unclear why the country needs to be restored after the "golden age". As the Turkmen press explained in the first days of Berdymukhammedov's rule, the nation "needs a new revival after the people suffered the sudden death of the Turkmenbashi, the great leader. It is required for those who believe that the people were left without their "caring father." In addition, the practice of restoring the clan village of the president, initiated by Niyazov, continued under Berdymukhammedov.

Cult of personality

As for replacing the deified members of the Niyazov family, it seems that President Turkmenistan has decided to spare on this issue. Only Malikguly, father of Berdymukhammedov, plays an active role in creating a new national idea. Attempts by government ideologists to create the second Gurbansoltan-Edge (the cult name of the Turkmenbashi mother) from Berdimuhammedov's mother failed. In local schools, Niyazov's faces were replaced by posters with the new leader of the nation depicting his life, achievements in studies, including a diploma from the Turkmen Medical Institute and a PhD in dentistry from the Moscow Medical Institute.

The president, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, created his own personality cult and does not feel any discomfort in this regard. After his election to the Democratic Party, which supports the concept of one strong ruler, the task was set for the creation of a new leader. Activists throughout Turkmenistan began to praise the president. The ubiquity of Berdymukhammedov is implanted in his portraits hanging all over Ashgabat and the rest of the country. Photos of the president are posted on billboards installed at major intersections, in conference rooms of government buildings, in banqueting halls of state restaurants and hotels. On the flights of the Turkmen Airlines, Berdymukhammedov's photo is hanging in the front of the salon. His portraits are also in the local gym, where the president is engaged in karate. In June 2010, he presided over the opening ceremony of the central mosque of the city of Mary, which was named in his honor.

The indefatigable writer

The authority of the head of state is diverse - he is the chief expert on all issues, from urban planning to medicine. The books of the President of Turkmenistan are published regularly. Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov writes about the Akhal-Teke breed of horses, medicinal plants and about the "epoch of new revival" - the period of his rule.

State television channels show how he almost every day chairs the government meetings, where he appears to strictly assess the work of each deputy head of the Cabinet. It is also often shown on horseback, engaged in other sports, in the process of inspecting many new buildings that are being carried out throughout the country. TV anchormen and commentators almost every positive news is attributed to "our dear president." When the first South Korean buses appeared on the streets of Ashgabat, they were inscribed with the inscription "The Gift of the Honorable President".

The achievements, sayings and resolutions of the President of Turkmenistan are often at the center of speeches of Turkmen officials, even if the event has little in common with him.

Limits of narcissism

While Berdymukhammedov's self-glorification is somewhat limited. Until recently, he did not build monuments to himself, like his predecessor, and did not print his image on banknotes. True, in 2015 a giant gold statue of Berdymukhammedov was mounted on a horse on top of a marble cliff. In most private houses and restaurants there are no president posters. The names of the months and days of the week do not carry his name or the names of his relatives, as it was under Niyazov.

Theater of one actor

Although, no doubt, there are people who have influence on Berdymukhammedov, the government of Turkmenistan is a one-man show. His deputies in the government are extremely respectful of the president both at open and closed sessions. In many ways, they act as its attendants. President of Turkmenistan literally filled himself up - from weddings and New Year to everyday activities, such as going to the gym. The personality cult will continue to grow, as the Turkmen do not know other models of local government. One of the signs of strengthening the image of Berdymukhammedov as the only source of power are plans to move some of the statues of the former president.

Lover of Coca-Cola

Berdymukhammedov is not as healthy as it is represented by state media. He suffers from type 2 diabetes and, probably, the long-term consequences associated with it. Given the weight problems and addiction to Coca-Cola, such a diagnosis seems plausible.

The President of Turkmenistan drinks only Coca-Cola in small glass bottles. Every few months a government official from his administration comes to the plant and randomly chooses boxes of sweet water. "Coca-Cola" accounts for 60% of the company's sales in Turkmenistan, mainly because the president of the country, a dentist by profession, loves this drink.