On 29 June President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov opened a new entertainment centre Gala where he celebrated his 60th birthday.
The centre which features several restaurants, a wedding reception hall, swimming pools with jacuzzi and an aqua park, is located in the Gokdere gorge. It should be mentioned that the Presidential residency is located there.
On 11 July Radio Azatlyk reported that Ashgabat residents are denied entry to the gorge.
We decided to spend the weekend together with our children and have some rest in a cool gorge. However, when we arrived there, we were stopped by the road police inspectors and demanded that we come back, � an inhabitant of the capital said.
When enquiring about the reason behind the ban she was told that access is granted only to the children who are staying at health resorts and staff.
If your children are staying there you need to present a certificate to visit your children, otherwise you will have to leave, � a police officer told the woman.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan