A capital occupies an important place in the government structure of a country. As a political centre, where the supreme regulatory and administrative authorities are located and the crucial decisions are taken, the capital sets up the high paces and dynamics of development of the country in general. This predetermined the necessity for the legal confirmation of the special status to Ashgabat. The national Parliament of the country adopted the Law “On the status of the capital of Turkmenistan”.
In accordance with the Constitution, Ashgabat is the capital of independent neutral Turkmenistan. For the first time in the history of the city, the new law secures its status as a political, economic, administrative, scientific and cultural centre of the country as well as ensures the city with the legal, organizational and economic conditions implied by its status.
Halk Maslakhaty (People’s Council) and municipal Khyakimlik govern the city. Halk Maslakhaty is the representative body of the local authorities that builds up its work on a voluntary basis based on free discussions and collective solution of issues. Halk Maslakhaty members in Ashgabat are elected by the residents of the Turkmen capital based on the equal and direct right by secret ballot on an alternative basis. Khyakimlik in Ashgabat is the executive authorities. According to the Law, the tasks set to Halk Maslakhaty and khyakimliks include creation of appropriate conditions for higher authorities of the country located in Ashgabat, ministries, diplomatic missions of foreign states and international organizations to implement their activity. The law also obliges the authorities to create conditions for the Turkmen capital to solve the problems of the political, economic, administrative, scientific and cultural center of Turkmenistan; host national and international events.
Given the special status of Ashgabat, Halk Maslakhaty approves the rules of beautification, advertising, size and order of rendering social assistance to certain lower-income categories of citizens, establishes international contacts with relevant authorities of other states. Khyakimlik considers the issues of labour and employment of the population of the capital, coordinates activities in the field of improvement of the capital and the work of all public services, solves other issues to ensure the life of the city. A separate article in the law specifies the standards of architectural and town-planning activity. These works should be carried out in accordance with the general plan of development and construction based on the national regulations. In accordance with a resolution of Khyakimlik, an urban council is established to coordinate this work.
According to the law, Khyakim of a city (mayor) regulates the entire municipal system of executive authorities. Given the status of the capital, the law allows setting specific rules for entering the capital, registering citizens at a place of stay, controlling the flow of traffic and sanitary-epidemiological measures to guarantee the security and public order.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pays significant attention to development and improvement of the capital. The leader of the Turkmen state regularly makes helicopter trips around the city and its surroundings, considers the models of new buildings and the progress of construction of the most important buildings, comments reports of the Ashgabat Khyakim during the meetings of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan. Within the last years, Ashgabat has turned into one of the most beautiful cities in Central Asia. Ashgabat was recently noted by the Guinness Book of World Records as having the most white-marble buildings in the world. In order to promote the large-scale reforms implemented in the country and enhance the international prestige of the capital of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov issued the Decree on establishment of the Ashgabat Day on May 25.
In accordance with the Constitution, Ashgabat is the capital of independent neutral Turkmenistan. For the first time in the history of the city, the new law secures its status as a political, economic, administrative, scientific and cultural centre of the country as well as ensures the city with the legal, organizational and economic conditions implied by its status.
Halk Maslakhaty (People’s Council) and municipal Khyakimlik govern the city. Halk Maslakhaty is the representative body of the local authorities that builds up its work on a voluntary basis based on free discussions and collective solution of issues. Halk Maslakhaty members in Ashgabat are elected by the residents of the Turkmen capital based on the equal and direct right by secret ballot on an alternative basis. Khyakimlik in Ashgabat is the executive authorities. According to the Law, the tasks set to Halk Maslakhaty and khyakimliks include creation of appropriate conditions for higher authorities of the country located in Ashgabat, ministries, diplomatic missions of foreign states and international organizations to implement their activity. The law also obliges the authorities to create conditions for the Turkmen capital to solve the problems of the political, economic, administrative, scientific and cultural center of Turkmenistan; host national and international events.
Given the special status of Ashgabat, Halk Maslakhaty approves the rules of beautification, advertising, size and order of rendering social assistance to certain lower-income categories of citizens, establishes international contacts with relevant authorities of other states. Khyakimlik considers the issues of labour and employment of the population of the capital, coordinates activities in the field of improvement of the capital and the work of all public services, solves other issues to ensure the life of the city. A separate article in the law specifies the standards of architectural and town-planning activity. These works should be carried out in accordance with the general plan of development and construction based on the national regulations. In accordance with a resolution of Khyakimlik, an urban council is established to coordinate this work.
According to the law, Khyakim of a city (mayor) regulates the entire municipal system of executive authorities. Given the status of the capital, the law allows setting specific rules for entering the capital, registering citizens at a place of stay, controlling the flow of traffic and sanitary-epidemiological measures to guarantee the security and public order.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pays significant attention to development and improvement of the capital. The leader of the Turkmen state regularly makes helicopter trips around the city and its surroundings, considers the models of new buildings and the progress of construction of the most important buildings, comments reports of the Ashgabat Khyakim during the meetings of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan. Within the last years, Ashgabat has turned into one of the most beautiful cities in Central Asia. Ashgabat was recently noted by the Guinness Book of World Records as having the most white-marble buildings in the world. In order to promote the large-scale reforms implemented in the country and enhance the international prestige of the capital of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov issued the Decree on establishment of the Ashgabat Day on May 25.