The Mejlis of Turkmenistan of the fourth convocation held its fifteenth session. The agenda focused on a number of new laws and statutory and legal acts. As the documents to be considered were very important, the heads of ministries and departments concerned, the representatives of the law-enforcement agencies and journalists were invited to attend the session.
In this session the parliamentarians considered draft law “On the plant kingdom”, which establishes the legal basis to ensure the efficient protection, use and reproduction of the plant kingdom resources. Speaking at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 held in Rio de Janeiro this June, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov put forward a number of constructive initiatives and proposals aimed at optimizing the international cooperation in such important sphere as ecology and environmental protection. These constructive initiatives were widely recognized and supported by the world community that proves their urgency and need for in the context of problems, which solution will have influence on the future. In this regard adoption of the legislative act aimed at creating conditions for preserving the species diversity of the plant kingdom of Turkmenistan will be another contribution of our country in ensuring stability of the ecological system and biosphere, the universal preservation and improvement of the natural environment given the interests of the present and future generations.
Another topic discussed during the meeting of the National Parliament is also related to the progressive internal and foreign policy of neutral Turkmenistan pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov that is associated with the priority tasks and goals of the United Nations Organisation. Being a full member of the United Nations taken an active part in cooperation to ensure peace and security, recognizing the human goals and values, our country has acceded to a number of international treaties and conventions in this sphere, including the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
Within the last years the huge work has been done to introduce the basic resolutions of the international and legal acts into the national legislation that promoted to establishing a solid legislative basis regulating legal status of refugees in Turkmenistan and guaranteeing their rights and freedoms. Given that solution of problems of stateless persons is a key aspect in cooperation between the Turkmen state and international humanitarian organisations, as well as with the aim to fulfill the Turkmen leader’s instructions regarding improvement the work in this sphere, the draft of the law On Refugees was considered in this session. The new law in draft provides the foundation and procedures of recognizing a foreign citizen and a stateless person on the territory of Turkmenistan, establishes the economic, social and legal guarantees of the their rights and interests in compliance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan as well as the generally recognized principles and norms of the international law.
The meeting participants discussed the urgent aspects of the national legislation in the sphere of the rapidly developing in our country sanatorium and resort sector. Thus, the draft of the law “On the sanatorium and resort sphere” defines the principles of the state policy and regulates the relations in the sphere of study, use, development and preservation of natural healing resources, health-improving natural corners and resorts on the territory of Turkmenistan. The adoption of this bill will help to create an effective system of strategic management of the sanatorium and resort complex, the further development of this important healthcare sector, as well as will replenish the regulatory framework for improving the sanatorium and resort sphere.
The agenda of this meeting included a draft of the Law of Turkmenistan “On Referendum”, which was developed given the experience of holding election campaigns in the context of further increase of the democratic principles of the Turkmen society gained in recent years. According to the deputies, adoption of this legislative act will further promote the Turkmen electoral law stipulated by the Constitution of Turkmenistan.
A number of other drafts of legal documents were discussed during the meeting. Among them were the drafts of laws “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan “On election of deputies to the Mejlis of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan “On Weapons”, “On making additions to the Criminal Code of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Code of administrative offences of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Tax Code of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Customs Code of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Law of Turkmenistan “On certification of products and services”.
Enhancing cooperation with all countries of the world and leading international organizations, including the United Nations Organisation and authoritative financial institutions is one of the most important aspects of the foreign policy strategy of Turkmenistan. In this context, consideration and approval of the resolutions of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan “On accession to the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes”, "On accession to the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness”, “On accession to the Convention on International Exhibitions”, “On the ratification of the amendments made to articles 1 and 18 of the Agreement on Establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development”, “On ratification of the Agreement between Turkmenistan and the Turkish Republic on legal assistance to civil and criminal cases” were of particular importance.
During the fifteenth session of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan of the fourth convocation parliamentarians approved and unanimously passed the new draft laws.
In this session the parliamentarians considered draft law “On the plant kingdom”, which establishes the legal basis to ensure the efficient protection, use and reproduction of the plant kingdom resources. Speaking at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 held in Rio de Janeiro this June, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov put forward a number of constructive initiatives and proposals aimed at optimizing the international cooperation in such important sphere as ecology and environmental protection. These constructive initiatives were widely recognized and supported by the world community that proves their urgency and need for in the context of problems, which solution will have influence on the future. In this regard adoption of the legislative act aimed at creating conditions for preserving the species diversity of the plant kingdom of Turkmenistan will be another contribution of our country in ensuring stability of the ecological system and biosphere, the universal preservation and improvement of the natural environment given the interests of the present and future generations.
Another topic discussed during the meeting of the National Parliament is also related to the progressive internal and foreign policy of neutral Turkmenistan pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov that is associated with the priority tasks and goals of the United Nations Organisation. Being a full member of the United Nations taken an active part in cooperation to ensure peace and security, recognizing the human goals and values, our country has acceded to a number of international treaties and conventions in this sphere, including the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
Within the last years the huge work has been done to introduce the basic resolutions of the international and legal acts into the national legislation that promoted to establishing a solid legislative basis regulating legal status of refugees in Turkmenistan and guaranteeing their rights and freedoms. Given that solution of problems of stateless persons is a key aspect in cooperation between the Turkmen state and international humanitarian organisations, as well as with the aim to fulfill the Turkmen leader’s instructions regarding improvement the work in this sphere, the draft of the law On Refugees was considered in this session. The new law in draft provides the foundation and procedures of recognizing a foreign citizen and a stateless person on the territory of Turkmenistan, establishes the economic, social and legal guarantees of the their rights and interests in compliance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan as well as the generally recognized principles and norms of the international law.
The meeting participants discussed the urgent aspects of the national legislation in the sphere of the rapidly developing in our country sanatorium and resort sector. Thus, the draft of the law “On the sanatorium and resort sphere” defines the principles of the state policy and regulates the relations in the sphere of study, use, development and preservation of natural healing resources, health-improving natural corners and resorts on the territory of Turkmenistan. The adoption of this bill will help to create an effective system of strategic management of the sanatorium and resort complex, the further development of this important healthcare sector, as well as will replenish the regulatory framework for improving the sanatorium and resort sphere.
The agenda of this meeting included a draft of the Law of Turkmenistan “On Referendum”, which was developed given the experience of holding election campaigns in the context of further increase of the democratic principles of the Turkmen society gained in recent years. According to the deputies, adoption of this legislative act will further promote the Turkmen electoral law stipulated by the Constitution of Turkmenistan.
A number of other drafts of legal documents were discussed during the meeting. Among them were the drafts of laws “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan “On election of deputies to the Mejlis of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan “On Weapons”, “On making additions to the Criminal Code of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Code of administrative offences of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Tax Code of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Customs Code of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Law of Turkmenistan “On certification of products and services”.
Enhancing cooperation with all countries of the world and leading international organizations, including the United Nations Organisation and authoritative financial institutions is one of the most important aspects of the foreign policy strategy of Turkmenistan. In this context, consideration and approval of the resolutions of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan “On accession to the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes”, "On accession to the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness”, “On accession to the Convention on International Exhibitions”, “On the ratification of the amendments made to articles 1 and 18 of the Agreement on Establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development”, “On ratification of the Agreement between Turkmenistan and the Turkish Republic on legal assistance to civil and criminal cases” were of particular importance.
During the fifteenth session of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan of the fourth convocation parliamentarians approved and unanimously passed the new draft laws.