Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ASHGABAT233
2010-02-23 11:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: BRIBERY IS PERVASIVE IN GOVERNMENT
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UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000233
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EIND ETRD PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: BRIBERY IS PERVASIVE IN GOVERNMENT
SERVICES
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000233
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EIND ETRD PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: BRIBERY IS PERVASIVE IN GOVERNMENT
SERVICES
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Bribery is pervasive throughout
Turkmenistan's government, to the extent that the public
expects to pay bribes during almost any interaction with the
government. Turkmen routinely pay bribes when obtaining a
driver's license, during stops by the traffic police,
registering children for school or university, and registering
a business. Despite the prevalence and openness of such
corruption, higher levels within the Turkmen government have
neither publicly recognized nor taken action to tackle the
problem. END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) Owning and driving a car necessarily involves citizen
contact with government officials, often tainted by
corruption. An Embassy contact formerly worked as a driving
school instructor. He charged $250 for driving lessons and a
guaranteed driver's license. The fee included an eye exam
certificate and passing scores on both the written and the
practical driving tests. In 2009, traffic police, who
administer the driving tests, introduced a computerized
testing system intended to prevent fraud in the testing
process. The new system was meant to address the worsening
congestion and increased number of accidents by insuring more
qualified drivers. Rather than eliminating corruption, the
new system increased the cost of bribes to between $500-1500,
thereby reducing the number of unqualified drivers who could
afford to buy a license.
4. (SBU) Traffic stops are also bribery-ridden. Drivers
themselves are often complicit, paying bribes in order to
avoid official fines and possible legal consequences. Running
a red light can lead to a fine of $100, or even to a loss of
one's license. Many drivers pay up to $50 on the spot to
avoid the hassle of court proceedings. To avoid a charge of
drunk driving, drivers pay a bribe of $150-200. To avoid a
speeding ticket, drivers pay from $5-30. The installation of
traffic cameras that detect speeding and process fines
automatically have decreased people's interactions with
traffic police, reducing the number of opportunities for
bribery. However, traffic police still set up traps for
drivers, frequently at confusing intersections, where they can
cite them for not yielding to another car or other hard to
refute alleged violations.
5. (SBU) Even though Turkmen citizens are supposed to receive
free education, many believe they will only get a good
education if they pay bribes. Turkmen parents usually pay the
$500-1,000 bribes that public school principals demand for
admission. The prestigious schools, such as the Pushkin
Russian-Turkmen School and Ashgabat's School Number 7, which
specializes in English language, demand $6,000-15,000 for
admission. In 2009, the niece of an Embassy employee was
admitted to the Spanish Department at the State World
Languages Institute without paying a bribe because the
institute had undergone an audit that year. However, none of
her friends believed that she was admitted without paying.
6. (SBU) Private companies also pay bribes to various
government agencies for a range of services from registration
to obtaining certificates for import. For instance, a private
lawyer told Embassy economic assistant that it takes $6,000-
10,000 to register a business. An import certificate may cost
$100-150 per truckload of goods. Entrepreneurs often pay
$1,000-5,000 in bribes to obtain the certificate need to
operate industrial equipment.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: Currently, the leaders of law enforcement
and other government agencies do little to combat corruption.
President Berdimuhamedov has never publicly talked about anti-
corruption measures. Addressing rampant corruption would
require political will, independent inspectors, and
accountability for violators, as well as an end to the
public's complicity in the problem. At present, however, the
Turkmen government does not appear to recognize the burden
that corruption places upon its population, instead being
satisfied with maintaining the status quo. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EIND ETRD PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: BRIBERY IS PERVASIVE IN GOVERNMENT
SERVICES
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Bribery is pervasive throughout
Turkmenistan's government, to the extent that the public
expects to pay bribes during almost any interaction with the
government. Turkmen routinely pay bribes when obtaining a
driver's license, during stops by the traffic police,
registering children for school or university, and registering
a business. Despite the prevalence and openness of such
corruption, higher levels within the Turkmen government have
neither publicly recognized nor taken action to tackle the
problem. END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) Owning and driving a car necessarily involves citizen
contact with government officials, often tainted by
corruption. An Embassy contact formerly worked as a driving
school instructor. He charged $250 for driving lessons and a
guaranteed driver's license. The fee included an eye exam
certificate and passing scores on both the written and the
practical driving tests. In 2009, traffic police, who
administer the driving tests, introduced a computerized
testing system intended to prevent fraud in the testing
process. The new system was meant to address the worsening
congestion and increased number of accidents by insuring more
qualified drivers. Rather than eliminating corruption, the
new system increased the cost of bribes to between $500-1500,
thereby reducing the number of unqualified drivers who could
afford to buy a license.
4. (SBU) Traffic stops are also bribery-ridden. Drivers
themselves are often complicit, paying bribes in order to
avoid official fines and possible legal consequences. Running
a red light can lead to a fine of $100, or even to a loss of
one's license. Many drivers pay up to $50 on the spot to
avoid the hassle of court proceedings. To avoid a charge of
drunk driving, drivers pay a bribe of $150-200. To avoid a
speeding ticket, drivers pay from $5-30. The installation of
traffic cameras that detect speeding and process fines
automatically have decreased people's interactions with
traffic police, reducing the number of opportunities for
bribery. However, traffic police still set up traps for
drivers, frequently at confusing intersections, where they can
cite them for not yielding to another car or other hard to
refute alleged violations.
5. (SBU) Even though Turkmen citizens are supposed to receive
free education, many believe they will only get a good
education if they pay bribes. Turkmen parents usually pay the
$500-1,000 bribes that public school principals demand for
admission. The prestigious schools, such as the Pushkin
Russian-Turkmen School and Ashgabat's School Number 7, which
specializes in English language, demand $6,000-15,000 for
admission. In 2009, the niece of an Embassy employee was
admitted to the Spanish Department at the State World
Languages Institute without paying a bribe because the
institute had undergone an audit that year. However, none of
her friends believed that she was admitted without paying.
6. (SBU) Private companies also pay bribes to various
government agencies for a range of services from registration
to obtaining certificates for import. For instance, a private
lawyer told Embassy economic assistant that it takes $6,000-
10,000 to register a business. An import certificate may cost
$100-150 per truckload of goods. Entrepreneurs often pay
$1,000-5,000 in bribes to obtain the certificate need to
operate industrial equipment.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: Currently, the leaders of law enforcement
and other government agencies do little to combat corruption.
President Berdimuhamedov has never publicly talked about anti-
corruption measures. Addressing rampant corruption would
require political will, independent inspectors, and
accountability for violators, as well as an end to the
public's complicity in the problem. At present, however, the
Turkmen government does not appear to recognize the burden
that corruption places upon its population, instead being
satisfied with maintaining the status quo. END COMMENT.
CURRAN