On January 15, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov had a meeting with deputies of the national parliament of the fifth convocation to define the priority tasks set before the parliamentarians for the next stage of the Turkmen state’s development in the epoch of power and happiness. The President of Turkmenistan expressed sincere gratitude to the parliamentarians for the work accomplished, having applauded to the activity of Mejlis aimed at improving the legal basis of the grandiose transformations ongoing in the country; drawing up scores of important laws in close cooperation with the Cabinet of Ministers, relevant ministries and sectoral agencies; clarifying the adopted laws and the state policy. The head of state focused attention on the tasks assigned for realization in 2015 at the session of the Elders’ Council of Turkmenistan in Turkmenabat, having noted ensuring of prosperous and happy life for every citizen of the country, observance of their rights and freedoms as the main priority. Further work on the perfection of the Constitution of Turkmenistan, the necessity of formulating clear long-term objectives and defining the legal framework of the democratic, law-governed and secular state were outlined among top-priorities. In this context, the leader of nation continued, we should make a clear distinction between the rights, duties and powers of the legislative, executive and judicial authorities; strive to ensure the work of all the three branches of government in compliance with present-day requirements and on the principles of independence, justice, openness and publicity. Having stressed the importance of arbitral authorities’ work in settling trade- economic disputes in business relations, the President of Turkmenistan has pointed out the advisability of separating the Arbitration Court from the Supreme Court as is common practice in the world. It will be reasonable to create an independent system of the Arbitration Court for resolving disputes related to business relations and commercial transactions, said the leader of nation. The President of Turkmenistan has highlighted the need for enriching with specific content the regulations on the definition of the court’s and public prosecution system’s role, the tasks assigned to the law-enforcement agencies, as well as ensuring greater reliability of the judicial branch and granting more independence to judges. The relevant work on improving the protection of human rights by independent institutions was outlined among the important and currently central objectives. President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has emphasized that it would be effective to make provisions in the Constitution for appointing an authorized representative for human rights in the country, since the establishment of an Ombudsman institution is of exceptional importance and plays an overriding role among the supervising authorities, counteracting arbitrary behavior of officials of the state administration bodies, and official misconduct. Having stressed that in accordance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan, local representative authorities - Halk Maslakhaty work in velayats, cities and etraps, the nation’s leader has stated the advisability of analyzing once again their legal status and concrete directions of their activity, making efforts to ensure that these bodies’ work is entirely aimed at achieving the objectives set before them. Identifying concrete tasks for improving the efficiency of local authorities’ activity, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov focused on tackling the issues of enhancing the work efficiency of local councils (Gengesh), ensuring proper execution of their duties stipulated by the Constitution of Turkmenistan and the country’s laws. Then the nation’s leader drew attention of the deputies to the necessity of carrying out the work aimed at the electoral legislation perfection. Having reminded about the election of velayat, etrap and city Halk Maslakhaty members (on November 23, 2014), President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov recommended the deputy corps to assist the newly elected Halk Maslakhaty members to organize their work in compliance with modern requirements, as well as to conduct training seminars on the relevant legislative acts for them. Further implementation of the reforms in the field of the country’s administrative-territorial structure was outlined among the priority directions of the deputies’ activity. The perfection of the country’s administrative-territorial structure, creation of huge administrative-territorial units, achievement of the managerial bodies’ work effectiveness will produce a beneficial effect on improvement of quality of the services rendered to the population, the President of Turkmenistan stated, having stressed the necessity of accomplishing the work ongoing in this direction this year. The task of improving the legislation governing the notarial offices’ activity was also assigned to the deputies. In this connection, the leader of nation has emphasized the need for analyzing the existing legislation and international practice connected with notarial functions, elaboration of new laws on this basis, including a draft Law of Turkmenistan “On notarial offices and notarial activities” aimed at governing the procedure of notarial activities. Addressing to the parliamentarians, the President of Turkmenistan has highlighted that along with the law-making activity, which is an important area of their work, not the least significant are the accomplishment of the important tasks defined by the law and exercising of effective control over the enforcement of the laws. As the leader of nation said, it is important to timely draw up normative legal acts to ensure observance of the laws. There are many shortcomings in the work carried out in this direction. This issue, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov emphasized, is the concern of all the ministers and heads of sectoral agencies, particularly the Ministry of Adalat. The shortcomings in the organization of these bodies’ activity cause delay in drawing up the normative legal acts stipulated by the adopted laws, what results in producing a negative effect on their efficient operation. In this regard, the President of Turkmenistan has focused attention of the parliamentarians on the significance of improving the Law of Turkmenistan “On normative legal acts”, which defines the procedure of drawing up, adopting, proclaiming, coming into effect and clarifying the normative legal acts, and is of great importance to implementation of the provisions of the Constitution of Turkmenistan. In this context, the leader of nation has emphasized the necessity of revising the law in accordance with the regulations on the priority of generally recognized norms of international law and positive international experience in this area, having stressed that he expects concrete proposals on the within-said draft laws, jointly worked out by the relevant agencies and law-enforcement bodies. Improvement of the ways of tackling the issues of foreign markets’ impact on the national economy was also sorted out among the topical areas of the law-making body’s activity. In this connection, the head of state has stressed the need to carry out the work on stimulating private business, investment activities, privatization, development and management of the financial market. The nation’s leader has also highlighted the topicality of further work in such important trends as the improvement of insurance services, effective regulation of credit and monetary relations, and organization of exchange activities. There is a need for improving the laws, which govern handling of managerial, organizational, financial and economic issues related to the development of industry, agriculture and other sectors. Furthermore, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has concentrated on the issue of improving the legislation that regulates the relations in rendering the services for civil transactions and other operations with estate property. As President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said, it is necessary to elaborate the law, which defines the legal, economic and organizational basis of real estate activities. The adoption of this law will be one of the most important steps in the development of our country’s real estate market, said the leader of nation, having also stressed the need for adopting the Law “On property”, revised in compliance with present-day demands. In the course of his speech, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov assigned the deputies of Mejlis the task of further improving the legislation in the transport and logistics sector, having underlined the advisability of revising the Law of Turkmenistan “On railway transport”, given international practice and the sector’s modern development. Highlighting the significance of further tackling the issues of the citizens’ social protection, the leader of nation, has emphasized the necessity of systematic improving the laws aimed at taking socio-economic, cultural, scientific, medical and preventive, therapeutic, socio-medical, sanitary-epidemiological and other measures. To this end, the President of Turkmenistan recommended drawing out a draft Law “On protection of the citizens’ health” and a draft Law “On production of medicaments, provision and control”. The nation’s leader has also stressed that high requirements are assigned to the quality of food products to protect the people’s health in our country, having necessitated carrying out the work on improving the Law “On ensuring safety and quality of food products”. In his speech, the head of state also centered on the issue of further improving the legislation in the field of labor relations, social protection of the citizens of Turkmenistan. We pay great attention to the widespread adoption of healthy lifestyle standards in our country. I consider that it will be reasonable to adopt the Laws “On physical culture and sport” and “On professional sport” in the running year to improve the legislation in this direction, the nation’s leader said. Pending the subject, the President of Turkmenistan focused on the issues of improving the laws aimed at advancing the development of equestrian sport, encouraging participation of young people in it, as well as on the work on keeping and breeding Turkmen horses – the national pride and glory. The leader of nation stressed the necessity of elaborating a draft Law “On horse breeding and equestrian competitions” in cooperation with the relevant agencies. Touching upon the issues of ensuring further legislative support of the development of national culture and art, preservation of cultural heritage, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has emphasized that the current Laws “On culture”, “On protection of the objects of national historical and cultural heritage” contribute to the well-coordinated and efficient work in this sphere. Along with this, there is a good reason to draw up a draft Law “On preservation of the national non-material cultural heritage”, intended to legislatively support the important work ongoing in our country. In his speech, the leader of nation also identified the objectives set before the parliamentarians for upgrading the legislation on ensuring ecological safety in our country, rational use of natural resources, and development of the agricultural sector. Speaking of the domestic livestock sector, the head of state has highlighted the necessity for elaborating draft laws, which specify the legal foundation for the increase in livestock population, cattle management, organization of selective breeding activity, as well as laws governing the activities on the use of pastures for feeding livestock, ensuring of sufficient fodder supply, grazing of state- and privately-owned cattle. At present, large-scale work is under way in our country on the sustainable use of water, improvement of water supply to farmlands; application of modern water-saving technologies in agriculture. Prevention of salinization and pollution of land areas is also an overriding objective, said the head of state, having pointed out the advisability of improving the laws, aimed at increasing the organizational, legal, economic significance of rational use and protection of the water resources. Special consideration should be also given to the issue of regulating the relations connected with the use and ownership of land by clearly defined laws, the President of Turkmenistan said. In accordance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan and on the basis of international experience, it is reasonable to improve the existing normative legal acts on the establishment of the legal framework for contractual relations and holding of international tenders. Proposals should be prepared on making amendments and additions to the existing legislation, which arise from our state’s new Foreign Policy Conception. The laws on consular, migration and other issues should be upgraded in accordance with Turkmenistan’s Foreign Policy Conception for 2013-2017, the head of state stressed. Concluding his speech, the President of Turkmenistan once again highlighted the efficiency of interaction of Mejlis deputies with local authorities in tackling vital social issues, as well as joint work with ministries, sectoral agencies and public organizations on developing advanced methods to implement provisions of the laws.