Last week, the seventh regular meeting of Mejlis of Turkmenistan (the fifth convocation) was held with participation of representatives of relevant ministries, agencies as well as the mass media. The agenda of the meeting was focused on a number of draft laws and other normative legal acts developed in the context of key aspects of the state policy pursued under the leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov. One of the main issues of the meeting agenda was consideration of a draft Law of Turkmenistan “On railway transport”. As parliamentarians noted, the draft legislation worked out in accordance with key trends of the state policy in the transport system, regulates the organizational and legal basis of activity and development of the railway transport, and governs the relations related to its operation. As stressed, the draft legislation meets priority trends and main objectives of the long-term programs ongoing in the country aimed at intensive and rapid development of the transport and communications complex, which has the capacity to fully satisfy the population’s needs in transport services. In the course of the meeting, consideration was also given to a draft Law of Turkmenistan “On the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan” destined to establish the legal and economic framework for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, organizational and legal forms of its activity, and to define the measures of state support. As President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov stressed at the meeting with deputies of Mejlis of Turkmenistan held in the running year’s January, the state gives much consideration to development of the private sector, support of private manufacturers and the services sector, rendering of financial assistance to them if necessary, and allocation of land plots for long-term use. In this connection, working out of the draft law is stipulated by the necessity of further work on systematic analysis and improvement of the legislation, which regulates the relations in the field of private property and is aimed at rendering support to producers and the services sector. The meeting agenda also included a draft Law of Turkmenistan “On protecting the national non-material cultural heritage”. In the course of discussion, parliamentarians stressed great significance of the legal framework for further development of our people’s culture and art, enhancement of the rich national heritage. As noted, the sphere of national culture is destined not only to meet needs of the modern society, but also to accumulate our people’s enormous and unique spiritual potential for further progressive development of Turkmenistan on the path of democratic reforms and socio-economic transformations. In the course of the meeting, Mejlis deputies discussed draft Laws of Turkmenistan “On organizing and holding meetings, mass meetings, demonstrations and other mass events” and “On counteracting extremism”. Parliamentarians also gave consideration to the following draft Laws of Turkmenistan: “On making amendments to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On the standard (flag) of the President of Turkmenistan’”, “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On courts’”, “On adopting the amended Regulations on the ‘Türkmenistanyň Gahrymany’ title of Turkmenistan”, “On adopting the amended Statute of the ‘Ruhubelent’ Order of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On normative legal acts’” (revised), “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On state support to small and medium enterprises’”, “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On entrepreneurship activity’”, “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On certification’”, “On making amendments to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On joint-stock associations’”, “On making amendments to the Law of Turkmenistan “On enterprises”, “On making amendments to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On denationalization and privatization of the state property’”, “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On ensuring safety and quality of food products’”, “On making amendments to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On protecting the health of citizens from the effects of tobacco smoke and the consequences of tobacco product consumption’”, “On making amendments and additions to the Law of Turkmenistan ‘On migration’”, “On making amendments to the Labor Code of Turkmenistan”, “On making amendments and additions to the Forest Code of Turkmenistan” and “On making amendments to the Code of Turkmenistan ‘On land’”. The agenda of the meeting also included Draft Resolutions of Mejlis of Turkmenistan on establishing Interparliamentary Friendship Groups between Mejlis of Turkmenistan and Parliaments of foreign countries, as well as on fixing a date for the election of members of Gengesh (the seventh convocation). The draft legal acts submitted for consideration by parliamentarians at the seventh meeting of Mejlis of Turkmenistan (the fifth convocation) were unanimously approved and adopted.