The Mejlis of Turkmenistan: Role in the formation of new political culture of the country

Status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan, which was recognized two times by the United Nations, supports to improvement of principles and standards of international law n all directions. The provisions of neutrality are the base of priority positions of our country in solution of strategic objectives of internal development and foreign course, coordination of the main sides of international life of the state with national interests.

The Mejlis of Turkmenistan, which efforts are also aimed at provision of peace, development of trade and economic cooperation with other states, multidimensional collaboration under competent organizations, expansion of legal base in this sphere, has played an important role in formation of new political culture of the country and development of Turkmen state, consolidation of society around national ideas.

Having established efficient bilateral and multilateral relations in the result of far-seeing diplomatic strategy, Turkmenistan has gained valuable experience in development of new ways and directions of cooperation with foreign partners. Having become a member of around 50 international organizations, our country has demonstrated resilience of its foreign course and truth of selected way to the world taking part in more than 150 conventions, agreements and multilateral documents.

Speaking of the meaning, content and main core of neutrality of Turkmenistan, Head of the State Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted in his speech at the historical meeting with deputy corps of the country, which was held in the Mejlis of Turkmenistan on February 11, 2020:

“Neutrality is our great heritage. Its value has been recognized by the world community. This is a doctrine, which provides the triumph of peace and friendship, humanity and goodwill, cooperation and progress”

The President of Turkmenistan directs activity of the deputy corps in implementation of foreign strategy of the country at implementation of national interests and making of positive image of the state as stable and reliable partner, which is open for cooperation, as well as a peace-maker, messenger of the idea of multilateral diplomatic dialog in all current problems of global and regional scale, generator of new approaches to their solution.

Opening of the UN Regional Center of Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat in 2007 was one of the results of positive neutrality of our state. From one side, it demonstrates high trust of the world community to Turkmenistan, Leader of the Nation Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and from another side, it visually indicates the commitment of our country to chosen way.

Thus, December 12, a day of recognition of legal status of permanent neutrality of the country has been announced as International Neutrality Day, having become a beautiful holiday glorifying peace, friendship, humanity and goodwill.

Our people celebrates remarkable date of 2020, the glorious 25th anniversary of neutrality of Turkmenistan, which chronicle is marked with grandiose achievements and bright success, in the atmosphere of high spiritual raise.

This is an important date of not only national but international levels. Having gained big experience in regional cooperation for provision of peace, security and sustainable development, our country has turned into the center of harmony and friendship, which is the result of steadfast and coordinated work of the Head of the state, Parliament and Government of the country.

Permanent neutrality is a colossal success achieved by Turkmen diplomacy. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said:

“ Neutrality has become an actual tool, which makes a creative base of our home and foreign policy, enriching the meaning and content of international relations and specifying their directions”.

History of development and practice of neutrality of Turkmenistan, positive experience of the country in the system of international relations raise big interest in the world, attracts attention of government and public figures, scientists, competent organizations and political scientific centers. This practice is studied, borrowed and distributed.

Organization of different events under the program of the year under slogan “Turkmenistan – Home of neutrality”, which is held both in our country and abroad, is to support to this. Conferences opening international importance of neutrality and enhancing its ideals are held on high level with active participation of representatives of ministries and profile departments, public organizations, youth, public and deputies of the Mejlis.

In addition, briefings dedicated to the role of neutrality in development of international cooperation are organized with participation of representatives of competent organization, famous political scientists by video conference. All of these reflects the importance of neutrality in consolidation of nations, strengthening of friendship between the states.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov notes that Neutrality of Turkmenistan starts from historical past and based on such national features of Turkmens as peace-loving, hospitality, humanity, understanding, tolerance. All of these is embodied in traditions and customs, which remained until our days and based on legal provision of the country’s development.

The main idea proposed in strengthening and improving of legal sphere of Turkmenistan lies in development of laws targeted at harmonization and balance of interests of the state and society, each individual. Following this exclusively important objective, national legislation is systematically improved and new laws are adopted according to time requirements.

Based on the Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly from December 12, 1995, our country has received legal status of permanent neutrality with support of 185 states.

The meaning of the Resolution is that foreign policy of each state is determined in accordance with standards and principles of international law and the UN Chapter. It is hoped that status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan would make contribution to strengthening of peace and security in the region. It is no exaggeration to say that past quarter of the century confirm that this hope become true.

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly, having adopted the Resolution, recognized legal status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan in second time. This document focuses that status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan supports to the development of peaceful, friendly and beneficial relations with the states of the region and other countries, where our country holds active and positive position.

In addition, the Resolution supports initiatives of neutral Turkmenistan aimed at further strengthening of economic, social, cultural and ecological cooperation in Central Asia and Caspian region.

Legal support of implementation of international initiatives of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, which complies with the status of permanent neutrality, occupies special place in activity carried out in the context of improvement of national legislation.

Constitutional Law on Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, which states huge importance of declaration of the country as a neutral state in life of current and future generations of our people, has been adopted in 1995.

It is noted in Article 3 of this Constitutional Law that Turkmenistan implements peace-loving foreign policy, develops relations with interested countries on the principles of equality, respect and non-interference to internal affairs of other states.

National legislation aimed at legal support of reforms implemented under the leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is improved in the context of modern realities. Thus, Constitutional Law on approval of new edition of the Constitution of Turkmenistan has been adopted in 2016.

Norms about the status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan, which has been recognized by the world community and based on the law, have been introduced to the secnd article of new edition of the Main Law.

In particular, it is noted that the United Nations Organization recognizes and supports status of permanent neutrality declared by Turkmenistan, urges the UN state members to follow this and respect independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Turkmen state in the Resolutions of the General Assembly “Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan” from December 12, 1995 and June 3, 2015.

It is highlighted that permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan is the basis for its home and foreign policy. In addition, Article 9 of the Main Law of the country notes:

“Being a full member of the world community, Turkmenistan follows the principles of permanent neutrality, non-interference to internal affairs of other countries, non-use of force and participation in military treaties and unions, support to development of peaceful, friendly and beneficial relations with the countries of the region and all states of the world. Turkmenistan recognizes the priority of universal standards of international law”.

Commitment to these fundamental principles provides the enhancement of authority of the country in the world arena and unanimous support of international initiatives of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

For the years of independence, Turkmenistan has acquired valuable practice of constitutional construction, development of national legislation, establishment and arrangement of work of fundamentally new system of the government power and administration authorities, which meets the mentality and way of life of Turkmen nation.

This is a Parliament, which is in the center of representative diplomacy making such laws, which meet the needs of citizens and supports stable and equal development of society and improvement of life level.

At present time, the Mejlis of Turkmenistan has 8 committees: for protection of human rights and freedoms; for legislation and its standards; for economic issues; for social policy; for science, education and youth affairs; for environment protection, natural management and agricultural complex; for international and inter-Parliamentarian relations; for work with local government authorities and local administration.

The activity of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan is carried out in the form of the sessions, where drafts are discussed, laws and resolutions of the Mejlis are adopted. The draft laws and other legal normative documents undergo preliminary discussions in the committees and brought forward to the review at the sessions of the Mejlis for adoption.

In the process of development and review of drafts, the Mejlis establishes working groups, to activity of which scientists, specialists, responsible personnel of ministries and departments are attracted.

Publication of adopted laws and other acts in media, especially those related to human and citizens’ rights and freedoms according to the Constitution of Turkmenistan is a mandatory condition of their application.

The right of legislative initiatives belongs to the President of Turkmenistan, deputies of the Mejlis, Cabinet of Ministers and Supreme Court. The deputies have the right to make enquiry, verbal and written questions to the Cabinet of Ministers, ministries and heads of other government authorities.

Nomination of candidates to the Mejlis deputies is carried out by political parties, public associations, which are registered in set orders, citizens’ assembly.

Deputies are elected by secret balloting based on common equal and direct election legislation. Election of the deputies is held in single-member constituencies on alternative base. The Central Election Committee establishes 125 election pools with approximately equal number of electorate for the elections.

The Mejlis of Turkmenistan consists of 125 deputies, which period of office is five years. The share of women in National Parliament is high. Thus, 31 women (including the Speaker) in the composition of deputy corps of the sixth convocation, in other words 25 percent from total number of parliamentarians, which meet the level of developed countries of the world.

Constitutional reforms have been held in 2008 and 2016 in regard with the current transformation for improvement of democratic principles of government administration.

Draft Constitutional Law on Amendments and Addendums of the Constitution of Turkmenistan has been developed and adopted at the initiative of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, which was supported by the people, this year, which is held under slogan “Turkmenistan – Home of Neutrality”

Therefore, new stage starts in development of representative and legislative body of the country.

Social orientation, intent to take into account interests of each citizens and to protect the most vulnerable levels of the society like families with many children, pensioners, disabled people, orphan children are the foundation of the government policy.

The deputies of the Parliament make an important contribution to improvement of legislation aimed at protection of health of the nation and environment, support of science and improvement of quality of education, guarantee of order, stability and security in the country. Work with citizens is one of integral directions of the Mejlis activity.

International and inter-Parliamentary activity occupies separate place in multidimensional activity of the Mejlis. Expansion of this work is related to the necessity of wider integration of independent and neutral Turkmenistan to political, economic and legal world space.

Relations of the Mejlis with specialized structures of the United Nations, in particular with the Children Fund, Population Fund, in improvement of legislative activity are steadily developed.

The Mejlis of Turkmenistan is a full member of Inter-Parliamentary Union, Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and actively participates in other big international Parliamentary Assemblies. The Mejlis pays special attention to the role of parliamentarian diplomacy in development of relations between the countries and nations, strengthening of peace and fraternity and thinks that these relatiosn are integral part of international dialog.

Participating in inter-parliamentarian forums, the deputies actively use international tribune for promotion and implementation of initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan, popularization of success in development of the country, make the colleagues from other states aware of the information about political and economic changes, speak out their positions in many current modern issues.

According to the principles of multidimensional foreign policy, the Mejlis of Turkmenistan has established inter-parliamentary groups of friendship with parliaments of 43 states of the world on bilateral basis.

Work for unification of legislation, implementation of standards of international law, study of the best practice of law enforcement, analysis of law-making tendencies are important components of international activity of Turkmen parliamentarians.

Political parties, which participate in these processes through nominated and elected members of legislative and executive authorities play a big role in law-making activity and parliamentarian monitoring.

The state registered parties nominate their members for election to different level and take active part in solution of issues of the state life. There are members of Democratic Party, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the Agrarian Party in the composition of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan. It is important that there are representatives nominated by initiative groups of the citizens among the parliamentarians.

According to new edition of the Law on the State Awards of Turkmenistan, the mejlis institutes the state awards. On occasion of remarkable events in life of the country related to receiving of the status of neutrality, the Bitaraplyk Order has been instituted in 1998, anniversary medal Garaşsyz, Baky Bitarap Türkmenistan in 2015 and Bitarap Türkmenistanyň 25 ýyllygyna Anniversary medal in 2020.

Political and legal reforms carried out within this year and especially the adoption of the Constitutional Law on Amendments and Addendums of the Constitution of Turkmenistan, establishment of two-chamber structure of legislative authority will strengthen constitutional order of our country.

Legislative power enters new level of development with the formation of two-chamber parliament. The main thing is that conditions are made for significant improvement of quality of adopted laws and role of political parties in adoption of legal acts. With this reform, Turkmenistan confidently states about itself in the world arena as a sovereign state with developed political system that meets time requirements.

Today, Turkmenistan expands the borders of beneficial relations with the states of the planet, uses political, economic and cultural potential for the sake of peace and sustainable development.

Our state actively participates in development of agreed solutions of important issues of humanity with the countries of the world, competent organizations including with the United Nations, European Union, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Islamic Cooperation Organization.

Efforts of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for deserving continuation of valuable humanistic principles, creative initiatives proposed for the triumph of peace, understanding and friendship serve as reliable foundation for expansion of long-term partnership on bilateral and multilateral base.

Latest history of Turkmenistan is made based on humanistic principles of the Main Law, which guarantees protection of human rights and freedoms, which declared human being as the main value of the state and society under wise leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Following slogan “The State for Human Being!”, big achievements are made for the sake of happy and prosperous life of our nation.

Gulshat Mamedova, Chairman of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan