Permitted does not mean allowed 29.07.2010
 The Turkmen authorities are making numerous efforts to convince the international community that the country is moving towards democratic reform with fewer bans imposed and more rights and liberties provided for.
Yet, the authorities cannot possibly imagine how sincerely everybody would like to believe this, primarily the residents of Turkmenistan themselves.
When holding the post of acting President, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov pledged that if elected as the head of the state, he would ensure free internet access to every resident.
Berdymukhammedov fulfilled his campaign promise. Access was granted but under rigid control. Those internet resources which are viewed by the Turkmen censors as slandering, defaming or distorting the sugar-coated reality in Turkmenistan, are blocked. The lists of “unwanted” websites are reviewed and updated on a regular basis. Even YouTube and LiveJournal are banned. Attempts by users to visit similar websites across the country are closely monitored so as to check who is trustworthy and to what extent.
In December 2007 the news spread around the world – the newly-elected President abolished the ban on foreign periodicals subscription which had been imposed by Niyazov.
However, after looking at the news more closely it became clear that the Turkmen residents are still not allowed to subscribe to foreign newspapers and magazines. The only exceptions are Ministries and agencies, which were permitted to subscribe to “respected popular scientific and other specialized periodicals according to the list which had been personally approved by the President.
In February 2010 Berdymukhammedov announced that a multi-party system might be introduced. This sounded like a serious pre-requisite for reforming the political rights and freedoms of citizens. However, as it turned out shortly after, not any party could apply, but only the one proposed by the President– “the Agrarian party”. Moreover, it was made responsible for accomplishing the task assigned by the President, i.e. “to explain and implement the state agricultural policy”. The monopolist in the Turkmen political arena, Turkmenbashi’s beloved child– the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan would be supervising a newly-emerged party.
A recent proposal put forwarded by the President was blatantly reminiscent of the permission to introduce “freedom of speech, press and mass media”.
On 9 July, when addressing the Cabinet in a broadcast on national television, the head of the state highlighted that he had reiterated the need to establish private printed publications. “Proposals to establish private newspapers and magazines should be prepared and the work in this direction should be accelerated”, – the President said. Yet, he addressed this historical message not to everyone but personally to his close friend and the country’s chief chicken breeder – the Chairman of the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Aleksandr Dadaev. Then he clearly explained what the “independent and free” Turkmen press was supposed to do: “to publish articles on the entrepreneurs’ accomplishments, to exchange experiences on enterprise development, and advertise their merchandise”.
Then the President reflected a bit and added convincingly: “ I would like to highlight that these issues [setting up a new party and independent mass media] should not be resolved hastily within a short time-frame, but in a thoughtful and level-headed manner”.
In one of his first interviews in the post of President, Berdymukhammedov said” Since my childhood one phrase embedded deeply in my mind: “Never run to the place you can simply reach on foot”. I believe this is a multi-purpose life rule, generated from old folk wisdom, and can easily be applied to the historic path of our country”.
This perception has long become a cult idea. But not thanks to the Turkmen President. Long before Berdymukhmammedov Comrade Saakhov had expressed this idea in a more comprehensive, straightforward and eloquent manner: “There is no point in hurrying!”
Indeed, why hurry up? The following accomplishments demonstrating the unprecedented extent of freedom and democracy in Turkmenistan can be proudly reported to the West: even shepherds in the most remote outskirts in the Karakum desert have access to mobile internet; academics and ministers enthusiastically read foreign newspapers and magazines; political parties which back then were just a few in number are now sprouting like mushrooms; while independent private print media capture the hearts of millions of subscribers by their burning poignant publications. | 
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