For the first time in a long period, the people of Turkmenistan will have to pay for basic services themselves, Starting on the first of January in 2019, but "at reasonable prices", as President Berdimuhamedou announced. The free basic service has been existing since 1993, shortly after the "independence of the state". This was introduced due to the numerous occurrences and in order to increase the real income of the people, so the president. At that time, the excitement surrounding the devaluation of the currency was high as prices for gas were at a very low level. Since the beginning of 2018, consumption limits for electricity, gas, water and salt have been introduced. Everything that was used up had to be paid for by everyone. According to the government, the reason for the abolition of free basic services: "... Turkmenistan is currently undergoing a transition to a free-market economy, and society now has to adapt to scarce resources so that its descendants will benefit as well and there are many ways to make money ... ". When you look at the situation in Turkmenistan, that's not exactly true. Turkmenistan is a country with extreme repression against the people. Due to the poor economic situation food was rationed. There is great unrest about food supplies and many pictures of human snakes for bread, sugar and cooking oil. Nevertheless, the insurrection is small because the ruling government has total control over all aspects of public life. Any political alternative will be punished. From threatening phone calls, persecution, physical violence to imprisonment. The abolition of free basic services will put the Turkmen in an even worse position. The president is demanding that the Turkmen people not only adjust to dwindling resources, but that they "adapt everyone to a market economy." Turkmenistan has the fourth largest gas and oil reserves in the world. The gas export of the country is large and is, with the exception of cotton production, the largest source of income in the country. Turkmenistan is currently trading with the imperialists of EU-Alliance, China and Russia on gas, which will be exported via pipelines to the respective countries. Until three years ago, Russia was the main importer of the country, but the purchase of gas was stopped three years ago due to a price dispute. Thus, Russia has been displaced by China and is now the largest trading partner. However, part of the revenue will be used to repay the debt of the pipeline connection to China. From 2019, Gazprom (Russian gas company) wants to resume the purchase of Turkmen gas, and the expansion of the pipeline to Europe via the Caspian Sea is also in the foreground. After all, the imperialist EU-Alliance is also one of the most important trade partners for Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan is part of the EU's Central Asia Strategy, which sees the achievement of stability and prosperity in the agreements as the main point.
The contradictions between the imperilaists, the try of every imperialist to grab more ressources out of the suppressed countries is responsible for the increasing poverty of the people in Turkmenistan. The lakies of the imperialists, like President Berdimuhamedou fullfill their job as servants to suppress the people and try to repress their justified struggle.
