Deepening Friendship: Turkmenistan's improving relations with neighboring states
Rebel Unleashed: The Shocking Truth Behind Turkmenistan's Corruption Mask
No one should've been surprised to find Turkmenistan skating at the bottom of the barrel in Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking an abysmal 170th out of 180 countries.
A nation scoring between 0 and 50 points on the index's 100-point system is considered highly corrupt. And unfortunately, Turkmenistan managed an abysmal 19 points - a disappointing one-point decrease from 2022.
This disheartening ranking is yet another reminder of the chasm between Turkmenistan's public facade and the grim reality that lies beneath.
Window Dressing for International Respect:
Turkmenistan tries its best to keep up appearances with the international community.
It has been a party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption since 2005. The government has also claimed to implement a five-year National Action Program to Combat Corruption, which is scheduled to run until 2024. In 2017, the government introduced new anti-corruption legislation, promising tougher preventative measures, incentives for whistleblowers, and increased transparency. Just last year, Turkmenistan joined the International Anti-Corruption Academy, an Austria-based institution with observer status at the UN General Assembly, that provides training on strategies to fight corruption.
Yet, it's difficult to point to any concrete achievements from all these efforts.
The Poor Report Card:Fitch Ratings gave Turkmenistan a disappointing evaluation in February, criticizing its commitments to the rule of law and combatting corruption.
Without a free press, civil society, or political system, it falls on President Serdar Berdymukhamedov (son of former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov) to feign a stance against corruption.
President Berdymukhamedov recently dismissed the Ashgabat prosecutor Ovezmammed Shykhmammedov for poor performance in his duties and serious shortcomings in his work, following the January 16 dismissal of General Prosecutor Serdar Myalikgulyev for the same reasons.
Rumors suggest that Shykhmammedov is currently under arrest, while Myalikgulyev is facing criminal charges for alleged embezzlement, linked to the state-run network of subsidized grocery stores [3].
The arrests have sparked growing tension in society due to chronic shortages of subsidized food goods, with the corrupt acts of petty bureaucrats like store managers preventing the necessary supplies from reaching the stores [3].
Intriguingly, some sources claim that Myalikgulyev may have close ties to the late mother of the former President, which could provide him some degree of immunity within the ruling family [3].
Corruption Trials and Tribulations:
Turkmen.news previously reported that Nyyazly Nyyazlyev, the former head of state chemicals company Turkmenkhimiya, had been sentenced to 15 years in prison on corruption charges [3].
However, the website later retracted its statement after learning that Nyyazlyev had been released from the courtroom at the end of his trial [3].
International Goodwill and Local Struggles:
If things are less than ideal domestically, Turkmenistan has managed to maintain a more positive image on the international front.
The country recently demonstrated its close ties with Kyrgyzstan by dispatching 2,000 tons of liquefied gas by rail to Kyrgyzstan, which has been attempting to recover from an accident at its thermal power plant in the capital, Bishkek [3].
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are also reportedly exploring ways to yoke their industrial potentials in order to localize the production of essential goods, as both countries strive to cope with the fallout of disrupted global supply chains [3].
Russian online retailer Wildberries is also considering expanding into Turkmenistan, along with Tajikistan, the United Arab Emirates, and other Gulf states [3].
A Tale of Two Yarns:
Russia has shown increasing interest in Turkmenistan, with a delegation from state-owned Russian Railways having visited Turkmenbashi to assess the city's port and its potential for delivering grain from Russian ports to Afghanistan and Iran by March, if deemed viable [3].
At the same time, the EU has expressed its desire to develop the Caspian Sea as an alternative transit corridor to Russia — a move that Turkmenistan seems eager to avoid foreclosing [3].
The EU's Eye on Turkmenistan:
Speaking at a February Cabinet meeting, Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov briefed the president on efforts being taken to develop cooperation between Turkmenistan and the European Investment Bank, the European Union's investment arm [3].
European investors, like their Kazakh counterparts, are potentially eyeing stakes in vital transportation infrastructure, such as the Turkmenbashi port [3].
Turkmenistan's high corruption perception, despite its formal anti-corruption measures, is a result of its deep-rooted authoritarian system, lack of independent oversight, and selective law enforcement [3]. In essence, Turkmenistan is a packaged façade aimed at impressing the international community while the country's leaders continue to thrive on corruption and nepotism.
[Enrichment Data:- Turkmenistan: Authoritarian governance, non-independent judiciary, limited transparency, selective law enforcement, symbolic international action, and lack of independent oversight contribute to the country's high corruption perception.- The government may enact anti-corruption laws and join international anti-corruption organizations for global respectability, but these efforts do not result in actual reform or the enforcement of such laws.- The international community's concern about corruption arises from a lack of visible, sustained improvements in transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in Turkmenistan.]
- Business travelers might reconsider choosing Turkmenistan as their destination for international food sampling, as the country's high corruption perception could be a hindrance to enjoying authentic local cuisine.
- In sports news, the unexpected dismissal of General Prosecutor Serdar Myalikgulyev and the ongoing arrest of Ashgabat prosecutor Ovezmammed Shykhmammedov have sparked controversy, raising questions about corruption within the Turkmenistan sports administration.
