OREANDA-NEWS. December 18, 2008. Strengthening Legal Potential of Turkmenistan is the new project designed in the framework of the EU TACIS Programme. The presentation held in collaboration with the MIFA of Turkmenistan and the EU TACIS Programme in Turkmenistan at the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under President of Turkmenistan brought together the participants representing the Mejlis, the Supreme Court, the Institute of State and Law under President of Turkmenistan, the Institute of International Relations, Magtymguly Turkmen State University and journalists.

The participants noted that improving the national legislation was a priority trend in the policy of progressive reforms initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The critical stage of these reforms was adoption of the new Constitution of Turkmenistan as the firm guarantee of the democratic rights and freedoms of citizens, the reliable platform for further progress. An essential factor of improving the national legislation was the implementation of the norms of the international conventions joined by Turkmenistan in the national legal environment. In this context the particular significance was attached to the development of constructive collaboration with the foreign including the European partners with whom the profound experience of positive co-operation had been accumulated.

The participants noted that it was symbolical that this presentation was held in the period of summing up the results of the parliamentary elections which had been held on the broad alternative transparent democratic basis in compliance with the updated national legislation. The Strengthening Legal Potential of Turkmenistan Project was called upon to facilitate further development and improvement of the national legal system.

The author of the project – EC expert Master of Law Wolfgang Tiede presented the major standards and principles of jurisprudence in the European countries and answered the Turkmen lawyers’ questions.

Addressing the forum Michael Wilson, Head of the TACIS Office in Turkmenistan said that the Turkmenistan-EU long-term dialogue had dozens of the joint projects successfully completed in various fields, in particular the legal sphere to its credit and expressed belief that the project activities would contribute to enhancing and expanding fruitful co-operation meeting the mutual interests.