Più trasmissioni per l'estero. Dal Turkmenistan.

Se Roma chiude le onde corte, Ashkabad (Turkmenistan) forse le potenzia. Il BBC Monitoring Service ripreso da Media Network, riferisce che a partire da ottobre dovrebbe prendere il via Ovaza Radio, un canale che promette 24 ore di notizie in turkmeno, russo e inglese sull'economia e il turismo della ex repubblica sovietica dell'Asia centrale. Ecco la notizia ufficiale dal sito governativo:

With the view to inform in the Turkmen, Russian and English languages the international community of the historic achievements gained in the period of independent development, the great undertakings and the accomplishments achieved, the revival in national economy, science, education, culture and art, to introduce the national traditions of signing and music as well as to increase the operating efficiency of the national information network the President of Turkmenistan issued the resolution establishing Ovaza radio channel of the Turkmen Television General Directorate. The new radio channel is to start around-the-clock broadcasting on the Turkmen, Russian and English languages in October 2007. The resolution approves the personnel arrangements of the newly-established radio channel. The Ministry of Communications is to broadcast the Ovaz radio programmes via the satellite and ground retransmitters.

Ho scritto qualche mese fa del Turkmenistan, ricevibile attualmente sulle onde corte su 4930 e 5015 kHz (il Paese rientra nella fascia geografica delle bande tropicali). Fino allo scorso anno questa nazione ricca di risorse e di straordinaria bellezze naturali era governata dal presidente Saparmurat Niyazov, che sembrava un personaggio di Sasha Cohen e invece era tutto vero. Uno di quei dittatori di una volta, capace di firmare un Vangelo Secondo Me in non so più quanti volumi (tradotti anche in italiano). Uno che al posto del logo della tv di stato, in alto a destra sullo schermo faceva mettere il suo ritratto.
Niyazov muore improvvisamente nel 2006 e il ritrattino dallo schermo glielo tolgono subito. Il suo sostituto a un nome russificato lungo quanto una notte nel deserto: Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. Elezione molto controversa, tanto per restare in stile, ma comportamento leggermente più virtuoso, anche se meno neutrale ("Gurba" sembra più amico di Putin). Fisicamente, la somiglianza tra i due è inquietante: nella foto Niyazov è quello sotto l'ombrello. In mezzo a qualche atto politico meritevole, come il ripristino delle pensioni di stato soppresse dal "sole vivente" Niyazov e la riapertura dell'Accademia delle scienze, che il suo predecessore aveva giudicato "una istituzione inutile", il nuovo leader si è anche regalato un congruo aumento di stipendio e una onorificenza in pietre preziose da un kilo e mezzo per "outstanding achievements" nell'arco di sei mesi di presidenza. Molto bella la corrispondenza pubblicata sul sito di RFE/RL. Adesso cercheremo di capire che cosa avrà da aggiungere Ovaza radio e su quali frequenze trasmetterà.

Turkmenistan: New President Shows Shades Of 'Turkmenbashi'
By Farangis Najibullah

July 3, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- In his first six months as Turkmenistan's president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has launched some reforms, reinstated pensions, and reopened the national Academy of Sciences, which had been shut down by his autocratic predecessor.
But the president has also published his biography and held a gala birthday celebration complete with the minting of gold coins graced with his portrait. While some observers have welcomed signs of change in Central Asia's most isolated country, critics fear the development of a personality cult similar to the one by the man that Berdymukhammedov replaced, Saparmurat "Turkmenbashi" Niyazov.

Better To Give And Receive

Berdymukhammedov celebrated his 50th birthday on June 29 by awarding himself the Watan (Motherland) Order -- a gold and diamond pendant weighing about 1 kilogram. As a part of the award, the president was also paid a bonus of $20,000 and received a 30 percent increase in his salary and pension.
The Watan Order, which can be awarded to the Turkmen president only once, was given to Berdymukhammedov to honor his "outstanding achievements" -- after only six months in office. During that half a year he also managed to have his biography published. And to help commemorate his birthday, the government issued 400 gold and silver coins decorated with the president's portrait. Russian and Western news agencies criticized Berdymukhammedov's lavish birthday honor as a continuation of the presidential cult of personality in Turkmenistan established by Niyazov, also known as "Turkmenbashi," or the "father of all Turkmen."
Hope For Change

However, some analysts say it could be a one-off celebration and that Berdymukhammedov will actually move away from Niyazov's excesses.
Berdymukhammedov was named acting president in late December after Niyazov's death. In February, he was elected to president in what has been called an unfair election that fell short of international standards. Few people expected major changes in Turkmenistan's domestic and foreign policies, since Berdymukhammedov made it clear from the beginning of his rule that he would continue his predecessor's policies. However, he did promise some reforms, including social reforms, and to some extent he started to open up the isolated country to the world. Berdymukhammedov's electoral platform included a revision of the country's social-security law. Niyazov had cut off some 100,000 pensioners' retirement benefits and substantially decreasing many others' social payments.

Restoring Pension Payments

Under the new social-security law -- which came into effect on July 1 -- the suspended pensions were reinstated. Berdymukhammedov has also reopened the Academy of Sciences, which was described by Niyazov as a "useless institution" and closed down. Niyazov's numerous portraits decorating walls and billboards around the country -- and turning Turkmen cities into a kind of personal photo-album -- are now being taken down. Some of them, however, are being replaced by the new president's portrait. The new president has made some changes to Turkmenistan's power circles by removing some of the key "behind-the-scenes" political figures. The influential Akmurad Rejepov, the former head of the presidential guard, was fired and then arrested in May.

'Equal Relationships'

However, it is the foreign policy of the energy-rich country that attracts more attention abroad -- especially among those who want to import Turkmen gas. Speaking at the ceremony in the capital, Ashgabat, marking his 50th birthday, Berdymukhammedov said that Turkmenistan maintains its "neutral status" and has "equal relationships" with all. "Without joining any kind of political alliances, we will carry on with our efforts to build new gas pipelines to carry our gas to China, and to Pakistan and India via Afghanistan, and to Europe via the Caspian Sea," he said. "This means that we will have equal and mutually beneficial relations with Russia and the United States, with European countries, and with our neighbors as well." Most recently Chevron, a U.S.-based energy company, announced its intention to open an office in Turkmenistan and participate in the development of Caspian Sea energy resources.
Matthew Clements is the Eurasia editor in the Country Risk Department for Jane's Information Group in Britain. Clements says Turkmenistan's engagement with the international community will continue to be limited, and Berdymukhammedov will not want great foreign interference -- especially by Western, democratic countries -- in the country.
"I think we can see a greater level of engagement from Turkmenistan in the international world, but again I think it is going to be limited to what Turkmenistan wants to be dealing with," he said. "And I would not expect a livening of relations with the West unless it is going to involve energy deals." Berdymukhammedov's reforms have thus far not touched on the dire situation of human rights and civil liberties in Turkmenistan, which have been sharply criticized by international observers for most of Niyazov's reign as president, which began in 1991.
Similarly, they have done little to improve the living standards of Turkmen people. Despite vast gas resources, most of the population lives in poverty. For instance, Berdymukhammedov's latest action to reinstate pensions and other social payments looks good on paper. But the minimum pension in Turkmenistan is only around $25 a month.
(RFE/RL Turkmen Service correspondent Guvanch Geraev contributed to this report.)