The most important socio-political event in 2022 will be the election of the President of Turkmenistan. This event is of particular significance for the adoption of the new programme document for the long-term development of our country – “The Revival of the New Era of the Powerful State: The National Programme of the Socioeconomic Development of Turkmenistan for 2022–2052 at the meeting of the Halk Maslahaty of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan on February 11. Our country is entering a new period of its history. Relying on the achievements of 30 years of sovereign development, the Turkmen people will have to conduct new large-scale and profound transformations. The maintenance of peace, stability in society and national unity is of inestimable importance along this path.
The President of Turkmenistan embodies the unity of the people, ensures the implementation of the domestic and foreign policies and represents our state on the international arena. In this regard, the presidential election plays an important political role as an integral component of democracynd a the participation of the people in making crucial decisions.
During the years of independence democratic principles and institutions of power have not only firmly established in the life of our society and state, but also acquired their own forms and content. With the deepening of democratic transformations of the political system, national traditions and the historical experience of democracy have developed further.
Moreover, a high political culture has formed in society. Under the influence of democratic processes, every citizen of our country is clearly aware of his or her involvement and personal responsibility for the fate of the independent state and takes active part in elections. Thus, our country has reached a new stage in its history with a huge creative and democratic potential.
The course of the current election campaign testifies to the fact that democracy has become an integral feature of the state and public life. All three political parties, the Democratic Party, the Agrarian Party and the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, have nominated their presidential candidates. In addition, the initiative groups of citizens have nominated their presidential candidates.
All presidential candidates have held meetings with voters in all the regions and the capital city. Representatives of labour collectives of enterprises and organisations attend these meetings. Honorary elders, esteemed women and young people are frequent participants. Everyone listens very carefully to the representatives of the candidates, who talk about the professional and personal qualities of the candidates and their life and professional experience.
Candidates come forward with their programmes. Participants in the meetings ask the candidates questions with great interest about their vision of the implementation of the National Programme of the Socioeconomic Development of Turkmenistan for 2022–2052. Meetings with candidates and acquaintance with their electoral programmes, which are published in the media, allow every citizen of Turkmenistan to make an informed choice on election day. The Electoral Code of Turkmenistan guarantees that this will be a free choice. Freedom of choice for everyone is the basis of democracy.
Participatory democracy is the greatest heritage of the ancestors of the Turkmen people, which is not only reflected in the culture, traditions and lifestyle, but also in the state building of independent Turkmenistan. The greatest manifestation of democracy is the system established in Turkmenistan to form bodies of state power and local self-government through free elections. Thus, each of us is a bearer of democracy.
The democratic foundations of our society and state help us maintain peace and social concord, unity and solidarity, achieve great accomplishments in socioeconomic development and maintain the prestige of Turkmenistan on the international arena.
The presidential election is to be another demonstration of the high level of political culture and the commitment of our people to democratic values.
Dadebay NAZKULIYEV, Chairman of the Ashgabat Committee, Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan