Authorities Tighten Grip on Local Government

Local government reforms in Turkmenistan indicate that the authorities are not yet ready to pursue more liberal policies, as the changes introduced so far give parliament more rather than less control over local authorities, say NBCentralAsia observers.



At a cabinet meeting last week, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov said local government is to be reformed in order to promote “democratic changes”.



To this end, parliament has been given the function of supervising rural administrations and more people will be employed in the elected local councils.



Rural administration chiefs in Turkmenistan are elected from local councils for a five-year term and are accountable to local councils, the district or town councils, the provincial governors and the president. As heads of the local executive, they have the right to propose local by-laws.



According to an NBCentralAsia economic expert based in Turkmenistan, the fact that both executive and legislative powers reside with these officials has made local government inefficient, so central government wants to use parliament to exert more control over their activities.



The economist believes local councils have been given more staff because parliament will need “eyes and ears” on the ground.



He said this is a half-measure that will not improve the state system unless fundamental political reforms are carried out and local authorities become properly elected bodies and are granted real powers.



However, another NBCentralAsia observer in Ashgabat argued that rural councilors need the extra staff as they work on a voluntary basis and have too many responsibilities.



If local authorities are to work effectively, parliament needs to specify how it will supervise them, he said, adding, “Local government reforms will have a positive effect if local officials are able to enjoy a degree of freedom without shaking with fear and looking to their superiors for instructions.”



(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)