The new Law of Turkmenistan "On Local Self—Government", published today in the official press and entered into force, regulates the powers of local self—government bodies - Gengeshes, as well as bodies of territorial public self-government - Assemblies.

According to the law, Gengeshes can independently:

– determine the directions of economic, social and cultural development of its territory,
– establish local taxes, fees and the procedure for their collection,
– at the expense of its own budget to build enterprises for the provision of services, production and trade,
– to raise funds on a voluntary basis to solve social issues and improve the territory,
– organize and monitor the quality of construction and repair of roads, bridges and municipal structures, etc.

Assemblies can be formed on the initiative of interested citizens and monitor compliance with legislation, provision of public services, norms for the construction of buildings and maintenance of territories on their territory.

The new law guarantees citizens the opportunity to be elected to local and territorial public self-government bodies regardless of nationality, skin color, gender, origin, property and official status, place of residence, language, attitude to religion, political beliefs or other circumstances.

Both foreign citizens and stateless persons who permanently or predominantly reside in the relevant territory can participate in local self-government.

ORIENT news
Photo: from the editorial archive