At an off-site meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan on August 12, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov instructed to begin preparations for the celebration of the 31st anniversary of independence in September, as well as for holding the State Council of Turkmenistan , which will be held on September 23. This was reported by the state news agency TDH .
It is not directly mentioned, but, obviously, the State Council (Döwlet maslahaty) will now be called the former People's Council (Halk Maslakhaty).
“Important issues of further development of our sovereign state will be considered at the forum,” the head of state said.
For the first time, the Halk Maslakhaty (People's Council) was established in 1992 and was considered the highest representative body of power in Turkmenistan.
In 2008, after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov came to power, the body was transformed into the Council of Elders and deprived of all legislative powers.
However, 10 years later, in 2018, the body was again renamed the Khalk Maslakhaty. During the meetings of the Council, its representatives approved the abolition of free limits for the use of electricity, gas and water in the country, and later voted to amend the Constitution and transform the parliament into a bicameral one.
After that, the lower house of parliament became known as the Mejlis (previously the Mejlis was the common name for a unicameral parliament), and the upper house was called the Halk Maslakhaty (now its chairman is Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov ).
Thus, "Halk Maslakhaty" became the name of both the people's representative body and the chamber of parliament. Obviously, to avoid confusion, the People's Council has now been renamed the Council of State.
Changes in the structure and powers of the body are not reported.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan