New Year address of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Turkmen nation

2018, which was marked with important events and held under slogan “Turkmenistan – the Heart of the Great Silk Road, is coming to the end. We see off 2018, during which great successes in different spheres of the country’s life has been achieved but the main thing is that we have managed to improve the wealth of our people significantly. Now, we meet 2019 with great hope and expectations, - congratulation message of Turkmen leader says.

According to Chinese calendar, 2019 is the year of pig. Our ancestors used to say: Sow in the year of dog and reap in the year of pig, which means the abundance and yield peculiar to this year.

2018 became one of the years of successful implementation of large-scale reforms for our country. Elections of the deputies of the Mejlis, members of velayat, etrap and city People’s Councils and Gengeshys were held on March 25, 2018. These elections brightly demonstrated rapid movement of our state toward the democracy.

Another complex of «Täze zaman» living estate in Bagtiyarlyk etrap of the capital, multiprofile clinic and residential complex in Turkmenabat, Lebap Velayat, children hospital in Mary, aquapark with recreation and health improving centre in Avaza National tourist zone have been put into operation in 2018. Business complex in the capital, facility for production of glass in Ahal Velayat, combined cycle power station at Mary State Power Station have been built. «Garabogazkarbamid» plant, petrochemical complex for production of polyethylene and polypropylene have been opened in Balkan Velayat.

Opening of Serhetabat – Turgundy railroad, Turkmenabat International Airport, Turkmenbashy International Seaport became convincing evidence of the restoration of the Silk Road in new format in our country.

We have launched the construction of another stage of Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India transnational gas pipeline, have started the construction of Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan power and fibre optic line, have laid the foundations of new modern villages as well as other different facilities.

We have outlined the objectives of the reformation of agriculture, improvement of social benefits for the population at the first session of the People’s Council in September.

We have established special Land Fund for allocation of the land plots to agricultural producers, which opens wide opportunities for the strengthening of food security of the country.

More than one million tons of the wheat and more than 1,100,000 tons of cotton have been produced by the farmers in the year.

Number of the state programmes aimed at the development and bringing of health protection, sport, science and education spheres to new level are implemented in the country. We will continue developing and modernizing health protection system. Special attention will be paid to the assertion of healthy life style in the society.

It is generally known that science and education are the basis of prosperous and happy future. They serves as one of fundamental bases of the progress of state and society. In this regard, our main goal is to give modern education to the youth and to develop these spheres comprehensively.

Big work for development of physical training and sports has been carried out during the year. We proudly mention successful rally Amul – Hazar 2018, cycling and field and track races along the Silk Road and the World Weightlifting Championship in the capital Olympic village.

The United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as the World Bicycle Day by the initiative of our country. We will pay great attention to the development of sports in new year.

The culture is the soul of our people, the honour of the nation. Therefore, great work for development of culture, protection and popularization of our rich heritage has been carried out in 2018.

We will continue paying special attention to the development of culture, which is our spiritual heritage.

In foreign policy, we set objective of further strengthening of the role of our neutral state in international arena and bringing of the relations with other countries and international organizations to new level. This is strategic course of our foreign policy.

In 2018, Turkmenistan has been elected as the member of the Bureau of the Inland Transport Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

Election of our neutral state as the member of the UN Economic and Social Council for 2019 – 2021 also indicates the growth of international authority of the country.

We raise salary wages, pensions, state allowances, student scholarships by 10 percent from January 1, 2019 for further improvement of the wellbeing of native people.

We meet New Year 2019 with great enthusiasm, high goals and specific objectives.

Being proud of our independent country and following specific goals, we have declared “Turkmenistan – Home of Prosperity” as the slogan of 2019.

Patriotism and inspired work of the nation will give us the strength for successful implementation of the programmes aimed at the provision of happy life of our compatriots and will improve the prosperity of the Motherland.

We will meet New Year 2019 in few moments. Let New Year be the year of peace, prosperity and inexhaustible abundance!

I wish your home a solidarity, great success and prosperity! – The congratulation message of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov says.