Security Deputy Prime Minister was first appointed in the Government of Turkmenistan
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at a meeting of the State Security Council released Police Lieutenant General Charymyrat Amanov from the post of Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Institute Rector and appointed him Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Secretary of the State Security Council. Amanov will be in charge of security, military and legal issues in the Government. It should be noted that this is an extraordinary case in the Turkmen state building history. All the past years, the country did without a supervisor of security agencies in the capacity of Deputy Prime Minister. Traditionally, the work of the Turkmen military and law enforcement agencies was supervised by the State Security Council Secretary. This post was held at different times by the ministers of defense or national security. Judging by the decisions adopted by the head of state, this approach to organizing the work of security agencies is unacceptable any more. At a meeting of the State Security Council, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted that the Turkmen Parliament recently adopted a new law on the State Security Council, aimed at closer coordination of the activities of law enforcement agencies, prompt preparation of necessary documents in this area and the adoption of timely decisions. The head of state informed Security Council members that a new post of the Cabinet Deputy Chairman for Security, Military and Legal Affairs is established in the Government under the new law, who is at the same time the State Security Council Secretary. Therefore, the appointment of the Cabinet Deputy Chairman responsible for the work of military and law enforcement suggests that security issues are becoming particularly relevant, and the Turkmen Government intends to address them as the issues of paramount importance. I must be admitted that today the world is less secure than, let’s say, 5-10 or 15 years ago. Unfair economic competition, the terrorist threat, drug trafficking, the dangers posed by cyberspace, and more recently, the epidemiological risks require the states to respond adequately to these challenges. To effectively counter these and other challenges, it is critical to improve the security system. This was said by our ancestors: “Keep the gunpowder dry”, that is, be ready to respond adequately to all the contemporary threats.
