Berdimuhamedov President of Turkmenistan biography education family. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Dossier. About work
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov came to power in 2007. Subordinates call him "arkadag" - cartridge. In addition, he is the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the country's armed forces. Lawmakers also awarded him the title of "Hero of Turkmenistan". The president is limited only by his own inexperience, the lack of independent power, the mentality of the population and Russian influence.
Berdymukhammedov is a complex combination of Soviet bureaucrat, traditional Turkmen tribal elite and intelligence that 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 office and open to new ideas. However, his incompetence and willingness to act gradually indicate that this process will be very lengthy.
short biography
Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov was born in 1957 in the village of Babarap, Geok-Tepe district, Ashgabat region, Turkmen SSR. The President differs from his predecessor in many ways, especially in origin. Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, whose family was large, conservative but atheistic, seems to have absorbed traditional family values. His parents were at the same time true to their ethnic Turkmen roots and loyal to the Soviet state. In the official biography published after taking office, his father is credited with bringing up moderation and balance in his son, encouraging him to make informed decisions.
National traditions are manifested in a respectful attitude towards the wife. As is customary in Asian countries, almost nothing is reported about the president's wife and his children. According to rumors, there are two women in his life - a Russian (possibly a mistress, but this is not confirmed) and a Turkmen. Some argue that their marriage was arranged by agreement, but it is noteworthy that since taking office, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, whose wife is from the Mary region, has appointed many officials from there, as well as from Geok-Depa.
In 1979, he graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Turkmen State Medical Institute and began working as a dentist in a rural outpatient clinic. By 1987, Gurbanguly was gradually climbing the career ladder and went to Moscow for 3 years to study therapeutic dentistry. He returned to Ashgabat as a teacher at the Turkmen Medical Institute in 1990. In 1995, he joined 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.
New president
Turkmenistan was left without Saparmurat Niyazov on December 21, 2006. Berdymukhammedov was appointed interim by the Security Council. This decision surprised many in the international community as well as in the country itself. It has been suggested that the powerful Turkmen security service preferred a politically weak man. According to rumors circulating among emigrants, Berdymukhammedov is Niyazov's illegitimate son. This is possible in terms of age difference, but considered unlikely.
On February 11, 2007, Berdymukhammedov was elected head of state with almost 90% of the vote. After he took office, the diaspora and many citizens hoped for an easing of the total control that the former president of Turkmenistan had surrounded. Some improvements have been made: Berdymukhammedov reinstated pensions abolished by his predecessor, eased restrictions on traveling abroad, and reintroduced the 10th grade high school abolished by Niyazov. However, in his first year as head of state, there were no signs that he would undertake real political and economic reforms that could lead to the democratization of the country.
In late 2007, he replaced some of the portraits of Niyazov, which had been a striking feature of Ashgabat, with his own. This gave rise to speculation that the new president, imitating his predecessor, began to instill his own cult of personality. In addition, Berdymukhammedov continued Niyazov's grandiose construction projects, including the construction of a new seaport and airport in the city of Turkmenbashi on the Caspian coast. On February 13, 2012, he was elected to a second term amid widespread criticism that the election was rigged.
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 complex subjects may be limited by the quality of the reference materials provided to him and by his degree of familiarity with the topic. Those who worked with Berdymukhammedov when he was health minister say he was a professional conversationalist, knowledgeable, positive and open to constructive ideas and suggestions, especially in areas such as health and education. There were also times when, like other Turkmen officials, he was isolated for a long time from foreign scientific and technical developments and did not understand the essence of the proposals of non-governmental organizations or aid groups. True, when the host of the project tried to explain its essence in a more understandable language, the president complained that they were talking to him like a child.
Personal qualities
There were rumors that Berdymukhammedov's son hit a pedestrian while racing his car on the Archabil Highway in Ashgabat. The President is still offended by the high-ranking official of the Ministry of National Security, responsible for the temporary detention of the offender. Although there is no evidence of this, it is unlikely that his son spent much time in prison. Now he lives abroad.
There is also talk of the president's intolerance of government officials who are not in line or who are not entirely decent. He is rumored to have fired two women for whispering and laughing when he entered the room. He requires female civil servants to cover their arms and legs and does not hesitate to criticize their choice of clothing. Berdymukhammedov has a reputation as a very demanding leader who instills fear in his employees. When he is angry, he kicks everything and screams, but not with his direct subordinates, he is more restrained.
Also, his personal qualities are evidenced by the fact that the plane of the President of Turkmenistan Niyazov was sold to the leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. Berdymukhammedov did not want to fly on it - this, they say, is a bad omen.
Niyazov?
Berdymukhammedov broke all records by surviving three government crises while serving in the cabinet. In 2003, Niyazov publicly chastised him for failing to improve 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 arrears in the salaries of medical and educational workers, but he again remained in office. It is also said that before Niyazov's death, his personal herd was struck by an epidemic that killed many livestock. The veterinarian was imprisoned, but the president did not strip Berdymukhammedov of his post. There is no explanation or theory about how he succeeded, other than the rumor that he is the illegitimate son of Turkmenbashi. Niyazov could have become his father at the age of 17. Most likely, Berdymukhammedov's intellectual abilities and his political acumen allowed him to take the necessary steps to maintain his position.
Rebirth after the Golden Age
Officially, Niyazov's "golden age of the Turkmens" has not yet ended (it should cover the entire 21st century). Nevertheless, the government under Berdymukhammedov put forward the slogan "new revival" to characterize the "new" era. True, it is not clear why the country needs to be restored after the "golden age". As the Turkmen press explained in the early 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 by those who believe that the people are left without their "caring father." In addition, the practice of restoring the president's ancestral village, begun by Niyazov, continued under Berdymukhammedov.
Cult of personality
As for the replacement of the deified members of the Niyazov family, it seems that the President of Turkmenistan decided to spare in this matter. Only Malikguly, Berdymukhammedov's father, plays an active role in creating a new national idea. Attempts by government ideologues to create a second Gurbansoltan-Edzhe (the cult name of the mother of Turkmenbashi) from Berdymukhammedov's mother failed. In local schools, Niyazov's faces were replaced with posters depicting the new leader of the nation, depicting his life path, academic achievements, including a diploma from the Turkmen Medical Institute and a Ph.D. in dentistry from a Moscow medical school.
The president, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, has created his own cult of personality and does not feel any discomfort about this. After his election, the Democratic Party, which supports the concept of one strong ruler, was given the task of creating a new leader. Activists across Turkmenistan began to praise the president. Berdymukhammedov's omnipresence is propagated by his portraits that are hung 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 banquet halls of state restaurants and hotels. On the flights of the airline of Turkmenistan, a photo of Berdymukhammedov hangs in the front of the cabin. There are also portraits of him in the local gym, where the president practices karate. In June 2010, he presided over the opening ceremony of the central mosque in the city of Mary, which was named after him.
Tireless Writer
The power of the head of state is versatile - he is the main expert on everything from urban planning to medicine. The books of the President of Turkmenistan are regularly published. Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov writes about medicinal plants and about the "epoch of new revival" - the period of his reign.
State TV channels show how he chairs government meetings almost every day, where he appears to strictly assess the work of each deputy head of the cabinet of ministers. He is also often shown riding a horse, playing other sports, while inspecting the many new developments that are underway across the country. TV presenters and commentators attribute almost every positive news to the account of "our dear president." When the first South Korean buses appeared on the streets of Ashgabat, they were marked with the inscription “Gift of the respected president”.
Achievements, sayings and resolutions of the president of Turkmenistan are often at the center of the speeches of Turkmen officials, even if the event has little to do with it.
The limits of narcissism
So far, Berdymukhammedov's self-praise has been somewhat limited. Until recently, he did not erect monuments to himself, like his predecessor, and did not print his image on banknotes. True, in 2015 a giant golden statue of Berdymukhammedov on horseback on top of a marble cliff was nevertheless erected. Most private houses and restaurants do not have posters of the president. The names of the months and days of the week do not bear his name or the names of his relatives, as was the case under Niyazov.
One Actor Theater
While there are undoubtedly people who have influence over Berdymukhammedov, the government of Turkmenistan is his deputies in government who are extremely deferential to the president in both public and private meetings. In many ways, they act as his attendants. From weddings and New Years to everyday activities like going to the gym, the president of Turkmenistan literally filled the crowd. will continue to grow, as the Turkmens do not know other models of local government. One sign of Berdymukhammedov's growing image as the sole source of power is plans to move some statues of the former president.
Lover of Coca-Cola
Berdymukhammedov is not as healthy as he is portrayed. He suffers from type 2 diabetes and likely long-term consequences associated with it. Given his weight problems and addiction to Coca-Cola, such a diagnosis seems plausible.
The President of Turkmenistan only drinks Coca-Cola in small glass bottles. Every few months, a government official from his administration visits the plant and randomly selects crates 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 particular drink.
The logic of the decisions taken by the country's leadership, and in some states the political system, is largely determined by the personality of the chief leader. the site continues to talk about the biographies, families and hobbies of the leaders of the post-Soviet republics. Previous articles were devoted to the chapters of Uzbekistan. Today the material is about the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov.
son of a communist
The future holder of the title Arkadag (“patron”) was born in 1957 in the village of Babarap, fifty kilometers from Ashgabat, into an intelligent family of school teachers. The leader of Turkmenistan is proud of his parents, he periodically appears with them at public events. In honor of the grandfather and father of Arkadag, military units, streets and squares are called in Turkmenistan, their detailed biographies were published several years ago. From the books you can learn that the grandfather of the President Berdimuhamed Annaev was a village teacher and school director, fought in the rank of corporal during the Great Patriotic War, and was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor for his labor activity. The president's father, Myalikguly Berdimuhamedov, is a historian by education, worked at a school, then made a career as a correctional worker, rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel of the internal service, and worked in the apparatus of the Ministry of Fruit and Vegetable Economy of the Turkmen SSR. The book "The Faithful Son of the Motherland" specifically notes that the president's father was a candidate member of the CPSU, in the party committee of the Ministry he was a member of the commission for the preparation of holidays, participated in various party and Komsomol meetings.
After graduation, the future leader decided to devote himself to healing people. At the age of 23, he graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Turkmen State Medical Institute and began working as a dentist in rural and urban clinics. In 1987, he went to Moscow for postgraduate studies, and three years later he defended his Ph.D. Returning home, the future leader of the republic continued to treat patients' teeth, deepened his knowledge at the same time and gradually became an assistant professor, and then the dean of the Faculty of Dentistry. In 2007, when he had already taken the presidency, it was announced that Berdymukhammedov had been awarded the degree of doctor of science in medicine.
At 40, he was appointed Minister of Health. This fact, as well as the fact that in the future he did not fall under numerous purges in the government, gave rise to various gossip. Allegedly, the rapid rise was facilitated by the fact that Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is actually the illegitimate son of the former president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov. Moreover, the external resemblance of the former and current leaders is striking. If we hypothetically imagine such a version to be true, it turns out that the current leader was born when Niyazov was only 17 years old.
kremlin.ru
A family
The president has many relatives, but very little is known about what they do. Some information can be gleaned from a memo from employees of the US Embassy in Ashgabat to employees of the State Department in Washington, which was published by the Wikileaks portal. It follows from the document that the Turkmen leader has two daughters and a son, Serdar. The eldest daughter Guljakhon lives in London and is married to Ilasgeldy Amanov, a representative of the Turkmen State Agency for the Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources in the UK. The younger Gulshan lives in Paris and is married to Derya Atabaev, an employee of the Turkmen embassy in France, the couple has a villa on the Cote d'Azur. American diplomats also wrote that, according to rumors, Berdymukhammedov has an unofficial Russian wife named Marina, who used to work as a nurse in the same dental clinic where the head of state worked. Marina, like her 22-year-old daughter common with the president, according to the employees of the American embassy, lived in London at the time the note was written in 2010.
More information about son Serdar, born in 1981. In 2001, he received an engineering degree from the Turkmen Agricultural University and since then has managed to become a doctor of science, a member of parliament, a lieutenant colonel, an honored coach of the country, and in March 2018 he was appointed deputy minister of foreign affairs. Serdar has a wife, three daughters and a son.
Gurbanguly was the only son of his parents, but he has five sisters. Some of them hold responsible positions, for example, Gulnabat heads the national organization of the Red Crescent.
Recently, his grandson Kerimguly, the son of his eldest daughter Guljahon, often appeared in public with the president. In the summer, Turkmen television showed how the head of state, together with his grandson, perform a rap of their own composition.
The only thing known about the president's wife is that her name is Ogulgerek, and she is the same age as her husband. Sometimes Berdimuhamedov appears in public with his wife, but very rarely, she does not give interviews. Arkadag does not like to let others into his family life. But he himself has recently been present in almost every wedding photo in the country: since 2013, all newlyweds have been obliged to take a picture at the registry office against the backdrop of a portrait of the president
Handyman
The President of Turkmenistan has a wide variety of interests. In the list of hobbies and sports, which he has been involved in since childhood. At the age of 15, the future leader of the nation became the champion of Ashgabat in freestyle wrestling, and a year later - the champion of the republic in shooting. Now he has many sports titles in various international sports associations and federations, personally participates in horse racing and car racing, and watches football competitions with interest.
Another area of hobbies is music. The head of state plays the guitar, accordion, keyboards and drums, he himself composes songs in various genres, from pop and pop to rap. He also loves to sing, both songs of his own composition and those of other authors. This year, the president congratulated the women of the republic on March 8 by singing Igor Sarukhanov's song "Kara-Kum".
Berdimuhamedov also loves to invent and assemble technology. Recently, state television showed how the president personally designed and then built a racing car from his drawings.
But the biggest hobby of the leader of Turkmenistan is writing books, which are translated into many languages of the world by a special staff of translators in the country. Berdimuhamedov wrote volumes on the importance of sports, the need to get an education, the benefits of drinking tea, the beauty of music and nature, the importance of water for the national economy, breeding horses, and spiritual self-improvement. The encyclopedic collection in 9 volumes "Medicinal herbs of Turkmenistan" is recommended for use by all medical institutions of the republic. His last opus, published in 2018, is called "The Teaching of Arkadag - the basis of health and inspiration."
Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov is a Turkmen statesman, since 2007 he has been the second president of Turkmenistan.
Biography
Born on June 29, 1957 in the village of Babarap, Geok-Tepe district, Ashgabat region, Turkmen SSR.
In 1979 he graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Turkmen State Medical Institute, then graduate school. Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor in the specialty "Social Hygiene and Health Organization". He began his career in 1980 as a dentist.
1990-1995 - Assistant Professor, Department of Therapeutic Dentistry, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, Turkmen State Medical Institute.
1995-1997 - Director of the Dental Center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.
Since 1997 - Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.
Since 2001 - Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan (Niyazov himself was the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan). In November 2006, he represented Turkmenistan at the CIS summit in Minsk.
Long before the death of S. A. Niyazov, rumors were circulated in the press, according to which Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov was the illegitimate son of Turkmenbashi. However, the age difference between them is only 17 years.
After Niyazov's death, he headed the funeral commission and became acting president by decision of the State Security Council. In accordance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan, Ovezgeldy Ataev, the chairman of the Mejlis, was supposed to head, but a criminal case was suddenly initiated against him.
On December 26, at a meeting of the halk maslahaty (People's Council), he received the unanimous support of 2,507 delegates of the country's supreme authority as a candidate for the presidency of Turkmenistan.
He won the presidential elections on February 11, 2007 with a score of 89.23% and became the second president of Turkmenistan.
On the morning of February 14, 2007, the Central Election Commission of Turkmenistan announced the name of the winner, immediately after that the innaguration of the new president began. Berdymukhammedov was presented with a presidential certificate and a distinctive sign in the form of a gold chain with an octagonal emblem. The new president walked on a white carpet, symbolizing a bright path. He was presented with sachak - bread wrapped in a tablecloth, a quiver with arrows, the Koran and the Ruhnama.
On April 23, 2007, he paid an official visit to Moscow and held a meeting with Putin, during which gas contracts, cooperation in the field of medicine and education, and the foreign policy orientation of the new Turkmen authorities were discussed.
Before the presidency of Turkmenistan, almost nothing was known about Berdimuhamedov, but now his biography has been replenished with many facts.
In the presidential elections held on February 12, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov won 97.69% of the vote, the country's Central Election Commission announced yesterday. And 97.27% of voters took part in the elections.
For the first time, Berdimuhamedov was elected head of state ten years ago, on February 11, 2007, a month and a half after the death of the former permanent leader, Saparmurat Niyazov (Turkmenbashi).
Over the past ten years, the president's biography has been replenished with many new facts. Here are nine of the most interesting.
1. There is a family - the spouse is not visible
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, 59, has never been seen in public with his wife. Almost nothing is known about her. At the elections on Sunday, he appeared at the polling station with his closest relatives, but again his wife was not there.
The government website turkmenistan.gov.tm reports that the president was accompanied by father Myalikguly Berdimuhamedov, mother Ogulabat Berdimuhamedov, son, two daughters and grandchildren. A photo of the president's family was not published.
2. Became a successor in a short time
Berdymukhammedov began governing the country as vice prime minister on December 21, 2006, the morning after the death of the country's first president, Saparmurat Niyazov.
Although, according to the Constitution, the chairman of parliament, Ovezgeldy Ataev, was supposed to temporarily act as president for two months - without the right to participate in the presidential elections.
But he was abruptly arrested, charged with malpractice, and later sent to prison for five years.
On December 26, an extraordinary congress of the People's Council was held, during which presidential elections were scheduled and amendments were made to the Constitution, allowing the Deputy Prime Minister to act as president and participate in elections.
In his first presidential election in 2007, Berdymukhammedov received 89.23% of the popular vote. In 2012, he improved the result to 97.14% - it would seem that there is nowhere better.
But in 2017, it turned out even more. Now, according to the amendments to the Constitution of Turkmenistan made in September 2016, the next elections will be held in seven years.
4. Worst among the worst
In 2010, the president of Turkmenistan was named one of the five worst dictators in the world by Foreign Policy magazine.
Human rights activists from Human Right Watch and other international organizations regularly report on the persecution of civil activists and oppositionists, whose trail has been lost in the prisons of Turkmenistan.
Today Turkmenistan is one of the most closed and totalitarian countries in the world. In the Freedom House ranking for 2016, the country was in the top ten along with North Korea, Syria, Somalia and Sudan.
5. Took control of 80% of the country's oil and gas revenues
"The President's (Berdimuhamedov's) Personal Pocket: Oil, Gas and the Law" was the title of a report by the American research organization Crude Accountability on the situation in Turkmenistan, published in October 2011.
The document stated that Berdymukhammedov personally disposed of the country's rich energy reserves.
The authors of the report concluded that over the course of four years, the new leader of the country gradually gave exclusive powers to the State Agency for the Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources under the President of Turkmenistan, which closed all activities related to the sale of oil and gas.
The precedent for "manual control" of the country's most profitable sector of the economy was set by Niyazov, who, according to Eurasianet.org, personally approved all tenders and licenses in the energy sector in 1997.
Most of all, researchers from Crude Accountability were surprised by the fact that, according to Turkmen laws, only 20% of revenues from oil and gas exports went to the state budget. The other 80% was controlled by the same agency, which was not even required to report on them.
6. Created the cult of Arkadag instead of the cult of Turkmenbashi
In July 2008, Berdymukhammedov returned the normal names of the months and days of the week to the country.
His predecessor tried to inscribe himself in history by renaming the names of the months: January - in Turkmenbashi, April - in Gurbansoltan (Niyazov's mother. - Ed.), September - in Rukhnama (his philosophical work).
The new names were used only in documents and office work, with the return to the regular Gregorian calendar, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
However, they rejoiced early: the debunking of one cult turned into the creation of another - the cult of Arkadag (the patron of the nation). So Berdimuhamedov began to be called in 2010, since then the unofficial title has firmly entrenched in him.
7. Helped cut out a tumor, wrote a book
The second president of Turkmenistan is a dentist by profession, he completed his postgraduate studies in Moscow, and in 20 years after graduation he made an enviable career in this field.
By the time of his appointment as Minister of Health in 1997, he was the director of the dental center of the Ministry of Health of Turkmenistan.
Later he became Deputy Prime Minister, responsible for education, science, culture and the media. Already in the presidency in 2007, he received the degree of doctor of medical sciences and the title of professor.
In 2009, the leader of the nation assisted in an operation to remove a benign tumor behind the ear. This happened during the grand opening of the cancer center in Ashgabat.
And the book he wrote about the medicinal plants of Turkmenistan was recommended as a guide to all healthcare workers.
8. Chief horse breeder
Among other titles of the current president is “People's Horse Breeder of Turkmenistan”. His passion - horses, is also dedicated to one of his books entitled "Akhal-Teke horse - our pride and glory."
In April 2013, the leader of the nation, a skilled rider, fell off his horse during a race. Later, the security forces made a lot of efforts to prevent the spread of information about the emergency, but this video is still available on YouTube.
It was reported that the presidential horse stumbled just after crossing the finish line, so that despite the fall, Berdymukhammedov still won those races.
The President of Turkmenistan generally likes to win competitions. For example, once I came to the opening of a car race, suddenly decided to participate - and finished first.
9. Writes songs and sings
During a meeting with voters in the Akhal region on January 30, the president, answering a question about what he was doing, replied that he was working on songs for women that he wanted to present to them on March 8 - International Women's Day.
Then the head of Turkmenistan was captured with a guitar, fervently and with feeling he sang a song to his own accompaniment, thus responding to the musical greeting of young voters.
The journalists managed to find out the details of the lives of members of one of the most closed to the media families of the first persons of the state in the world - President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Previously, all information about him and his relatives was carefully concealed. Little is known about Berdymukhammedov himself. For example, before the death of the country's previous leader, Saparmurat Niyazov, he served as deputy prime minister of the government and was the personal doctor of the head of state, but after his funeral, he suddenly jumped to the ruling post.
For a long time, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov did not allow journalists to even get close to his relatives, but for the sake of the trust of the electorate, on the eve of the next elections last year, he decided to show his family.
In the photo: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with his family at the presidential elections
In addition, details of the lifestyle of the presidential clan began to emerge thanks to social networks. For example, it turned out that the sister of the President of Turkmenistan "took over" the "Red Crescent of Turkmenistan" where she established her own rules. She was also accused of fraud with tenders.
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In the photo: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with his sisters
The only offspring of the Turkmen leader Serdar (translated from Turkmen - "leader") quickly defended his doctoral dissertation. As they say, from now on, those around and subordinates are obliged to address him - "Doctor Serdar Gurbangulyevich." This is the personal requirement of the newly minted young scientist. In November 2016, he was elected as a deputy of the Mejlis, where he heads the Committee on Legislation.
He attends diplomatic meetings of the highest level and was awarded the Honored Coach of Turkmenistan for his contribution to the training of athletes. In an incredibly short time, he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel, despite the fact that he did not spend a single day in the service. In addition, they say that he has a high chance of becoming his father's successor.
In the photo: Serdar Berdimuhamedov (right)
There are also a lot of negative reviews on the web about the son-in-law of the head of Turkmenistan. According to rumors, it is he who controls the entire business in the country, and Berdimuhamedov's nephews "subdued" all imports of alcohol, tobacco and industrial products to their interests. According to some reports, one of them went unpunished after he severely beat an investigator who refused to close the case against his friend.
The Turkmen leader is making great efforts to maintain the luxury of external paraphernalia, which is reflected in the pompous white marble buildings being built in Ashgabat and in the Avaza resort area on the Caspian coast. According to local residents, the routes along which Berdimuhamedov's motorcade moves are always sparkling clean.
The preoccupation with external luxury is also reflected in the image of Berdymukhammedov. Often he is portrayed in the media as a kind of rambo with brutal hobbies, for example, at special forces exercises.
Or on horseback.
By the way, then the President of Turkmenistan dined at the festive races in honor of the Day of the Turkmen Horse, covering a distance of 1.2 kilometers in 1 minute 20 seconds. Bloggers immediately compared this episode with the character of the film "The Dictator" by British actor Sacha Baron Cohen.
Apparently, to conquer ladies' hearts, Berdimuhamedov appeared before the audience as a performer of his own songs.
On January 8, the head of Turkmenistan carried out another personnel reshuffle and dismissed several heads of regions. Other people were appointed to their positions. According to some reports, at least one of the retired officials lost his post due to the fact that he had an obese physique.
According to a relative of the candidate, who never took a high post in the Balkan velayat in the west of the country, all applicants for the chair were examined by doctors, and attention was paid to weight as the main indicator.
He sat on chicken broth for two months to lose weight. But he was rather obese and failed to reach presidential standards. He did not pass this stage of selection, "-
It is known that not so long ago "the entire management team" received a command to lose weight. Initially, such an order came during the Asian Games in Ashgabat last September, where only skinny policemen were selected to keep order. Then the requirement extended to other departments.
It should be noted that Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has previously urged citizens to be in shape. Last year, a video appeared on the Web, where "the whole of Turkmenistan" is exercising in unison, including at the workplace and in the fresh air.
Last October, a video posted on the Web, where President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov inspects new construction projects in Ashgabat, made a lot of noise. It is noteworthy that the head of state made a raid on the capital of the country on horseback. However, the city at that moment seemed to have died out - apart from two subordinates of the head of state, there was not a soul in the crowded city.
And in May last year, a video was released in which the president of the country is actively involved in sports. The video sequence accompanies the track, where the words "need to pump up" are repeated in a recitative style.
Needless to say, then users relish.
What else is known about Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov
By profession, the second president of Turkmenistan is a dentist. He completed his postgraduate studies in Moscow, and in the 20 years after graduation he made an excellent career in this field. At the time of his appointment as Minister of Health in 1997, he was the director of the dental center of the Ministry of Health of Turkmenistan, later he became vice-premier and was responsible for education, science, culture, and the media. As president in 2007, he received the degree of doctor of medical sciences and the title of professor.
In 2009, the President of the country assisted in the operation to remove a benign tumor behind the ear, which happened during the grand opening of the cancer center in Ashgabat. The book written by Berdimuhamedov about medicinal plants of Turkmenistan was recommended as a manual for all healthcare workers.
In the presidential elections held on February 12, 2007, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov won 97.69% of the votes, and 97.27% of voters took part in the elections themselves, as reported by the country's Central Election Commission.
Berdymukhammedov, 59, has never appeared in public with his wife.
In 2010, he was named one of the five worst dictators in the world by Foreign Policy magazine. According to human rights activists from Human Right Watch and other international organizations, civil activists and oppositionists are persecuted in the country, whose trail has been lost in the prisons of Turkmenistan, Center 1 notes.
Today Turkmenistan is one of the most closed and totalitarian countries in the world.
Experts from the American research organization Crude Accountability wrote in October 2011 that Berdymukhammedov personally disposed of the country's rich energy reserves. According to the authors of the material, the leader of the country gradually gave exclusive powers to the State Agency for the Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources under the President of Turkmenistan. According to the laws of the country, only 20% of revenues from oil and gas exports went to the state budget of Turkmenistan, where the other 80% went, is not specified.
