President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov
The politics of Turkmenistan takes place in the framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Turkmenistan is both head of state and head of government. Turkmenistan has a single-party system, but has begun a slow transition towards a multi-party system.
In September 2008, the People’s Council unanimously passed a resolution adopting a new Constitution. The latter will result in the abolition of the Council and a significant increase in the size of Parliament in December 2008. The Constitution also enables the formation of multiple political parties.

Among the main directions of socio-economic development for the coming years are large investments in the development of healthy and highly intellectual human capital, the newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan reports. Large-scale work on transforming the region will be continued, including construction of new villages with appropriate infrastructure.

It is planned to implement a series of measures aimed at the progressive dynamic development of the national economy. Along with modernization of the material-technical base of all sectors of the economy, it is planned to construct new facilities for the fuel and energy sector, chemical industry, textile industry, agriculture, and the transport and communication sectors.

“The most important aspect of the economic strategy of Turkmenistan at the present stage is the development of the private sector of the economy by providing comprehensive support to domestic producers of all forms of property” the state news service Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary underlines.

In this context, over the next five years it is planned to construct hundreds of small and medium-sized enterprises in various fields. The implementation of the new program should further strengthen the economic power of Turkmenistan and the creation of innovative productions.

In this case, “one of the main objectives is to strictly control the successful implementation of this program” the President said, referring to the Heads of Ministries and Departments of the economic bloc. Furthermore, according to Berdymukhamedov, in the centre of attention should always be issues related to the realization of the National Program on transforming social and living conditions in villages, towns, cities, districts and regional centres in the period until 2020.

In addition, the president of Turkmenistan, who, according to the Constitution, forms the government after his re-election, had approved the positions of decision makers in financial and economic departments of the country, Turkmenistan.ru reports.

Thus, for the position of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers in charge of the economic sector, the President approved Annamukhammet Gochyev, who had held this post in the previous government.

Among those who have kept their positions in the new government are the Minister of the Economy and National Development Byashimmyrat Hodzhammamedov, the Minister of Finance Dovletgeldi Sadykov, the Chairman of the Central Bank Tuvakmammet Japarov, the Chairman of the Main State Tax Service Annaberdy Myamikov, the Chairman of the main public service “Turkmenstandartlary” (Turkmen standards) Nurgeldi Orazov, the Chairman of the State Committee on Statistics Akmyrat Mammadov, and the Director of Strategic Planning and Economic development Muhammetgeldi Atayev.

At the same time, Bekmyrat Shamyradov, the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, has been appointed the Chairman of the Pension Fund of Turkmenistan.