Saparmurat Niyazov: death at the “age of inspiration. Turkmen gas goes through Russia

On Thursday night (at 1.10 local time) President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov. His death was officially announced on state television on Thursday. Niyazov, who single-handedly ruled the country for the last two decades, would have turned 67 on February 19, 2007.

It was decided to appoint Berdymukhammedov as head of the state commission for organizing the funeral, which will take place on Sunday. An emergency meeting of the Security Council was held in Ashgabat, at which they discussed how to ensure “stability and law and order in connection with the death of the head of state.”

The fact that Turkmenbashi’s health had deteriorated became clear on October 2, after his speech at the Ministry of National Security, whose employees he personally came to congratulate on the 15th anniversary of the formation of this body. German cardiologists from the famous clinic of the University of Munich were urgently called to Ashgabat (former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev recently underwent emergency surgery on the carotid artery here). The results of the examination were kept strictly confidential. Citizens were prohibited - under pain of imprisonment - from discussing topics related to the health of the Turkmen leader.

"Rumors of a serious illness are greatly exaggerated"

Rumors immediately appeared in the West that Turkmenbashi was terminally ill and drug addicted. On October 24, the government press service released a message about Niyazov’s regular, third “routine medical examination” this year. It appeared a few days after the president, speaking at the World Congress of Turkmen in Ashgabat, admitted that he could not observe the Muslim fast due to heart disease.

The famous German heart surgeon Professor Hans Meisner, under whose leadership Niyazov underwent coronary artery bypass surgery in Germany in 1997, gave a brief commentary on the results of the examination at the end of October: “Rumors about the serious illness of the President of Turkmenistan are greatly exaggerated. He is in good physical condition, able to handle a busy work schedule."

It is known that the “father of all Turkmens” has undergone several serious operations in recent years. In 1994, in one of the American clinics, a blood clot was removed from a vein in his leg. In 1995, cataracts were removed first on one eye, and last year on the other. In addition, he had diabetes.

The Turkmen opposition is disseminating information that Niyazov allegedly died three days ago. And the official announcement of his death appeared only when the leadership decided on the “heir.”

The president himself had previously publicly stated that he intended to remain in office until 2010 and retire, handing over power to a worthy successor: “I will not be healthy forever and I want to leave the post of head of state while I’m alive. I want to see another wise person governing country."

Who will replace Turkmenbashi

There is no exact information yet about who will be the successor. But there are not so many contenders.

The most realistic candidate is the head of the “funeral team” Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. It’s like in Soviet times: whoever is in charge at a funeral gets to “steer” further.

It is alleged that Berdymukhammedov is Niyazov’s illegitimate son. In the country he is considered a “gray eminence”. The Turkmenbashi, who was quick to reprisal, treated Berdymukhammedov with care. There is only one known case when sanctions were applied to the deputy prime minister - for delays in paying salaries to civil servants, Niyazov deprived him of three months' salary. There is, however, one difficulty: according to the Constitution, a politician appointed as acting head of state does not have the right to run for president. But this norm, if necessary, can be revised.

Another possible heir is the head of the presidential guard, Akmurad Rejepov. He enjoyed special trust and support from Niyazov. Especially after the latest “attempt” on the president, for which the authorities blamed the opposition. And finally, the 39-year-old son of the Turkmenbashi, Murad Niyazov. He lives permanently in Brussels or Vienna and manages a large offshore company registered in Cyprus. True, he has a scandalous reputation as a playboy and gambler (they say that he once lost $12 million in an evening at a casino). Experts note that Murad is not only well acquainted with the Turkmen political elite, but has also established contacts with opposition leaders.

Wife and daughter will come to the funeral from London

The news of the death of Turkmenbashi found his 68-year-old wife Muza Alekseevna Niyazova (Melnikova) in London. She is said to be Jewish on her mother's side. I met Saparmurat in Leningrad, where I studied at the Polytechnic Institute. In recent years, she has spent most of her time in Moscow, where she has an apartment on Vernadsky Avenue, and in London. Evil tongues claim that she and Niyazov are divorced, but there is no official data on this matter.

Niyazov’s daughter Irina Sokolova (Niyazova), who married a distant relative of Muza Alekseevna without receiving her father’s blessing for this marriage, will fly out of London with her. She graduated from Moscow State University with a degree in cybernetics, is engaged in banking business, and travels between Moscow, Paris and London.

Murad Niyazov will fly in from the United Arab Emirates, where he came on business. Murad is a certified lawyer, studied at the universities of Ashgabat and Leningrad, worked as an investigator in the prosecutor's office in Moscow. Several years ago, his father entrusted him with gas contracts with Ukraine. Then a loud international scandal occurred: Murad received 300 T-72 tanks for gas supplies and sold them to Pakistan. They say that after this incident, Turkmenbashi demonstratively distanced himself from his son. Now Murad allegedly oversees oil trade with Arab countries. He also went against his father’s will by marrying a Tatar.

The opposition is about to return

The leaders of the Turkmen opposition intend to come home from abroad in the coming days. The initiator of negotiations between the three leading organizations is the chairman of the Republican Party, former ambassador to Turkey Nurmuhammed Khanamov: “We must be one fist so that there is no anarchy and confrontation in the country.” In his opinion, there are several options for action in the current situation. But the main thing is that “everything must be done legally.” The plan is simple: create a coalition government, review and adopt new laws, and then popularly elect the head of state.

What is written in the Constitution

Article 49. The President does not have the right to transfer the execution of his powers to other bodies or officials, with the exception of the powers provided for in paragraphs 2, 9, 11 of Article 48 of the Constitution, which can be transferred to the Chairman of the Mejlis.

If the President, for one reason or another, is unable to fulfill his duties, until the election of a new President, his powers are transferred to the Chairman of the Mejlis. Elections of the President in this case must be held no later than two months from the date of transfer of his powers to the Chairman of the Mejlis. A person acting as President may not run as a candidate for President.

Who are we burying - a friend or a dictator?

Ekaterina Grigorieva, Fedor Chaika

“We hope that the new leadership of Turkmenistan will build its activities in the interests of the Turkmen people and will work to strengthen bilateral ties,” Presidential Assistant for International Affairs Sergei Prikhodko said on Thursday. The question "what's next?" for Moscow (and not only for it) is now the main one. So far, the worst scenario is mass unrest resulting in the loss of political and economic control of the country.

The first question to be decided is who will represent Russia at the farewell ceremony for Saparmurat Niyazov on Sunday. On the one hand, Ashgabat will definitely invite the presidents of a few more or less friendly states, which include Russia. On the other hand, the attitude towards Niyazov is still very ambiguous. “We need to decide who we are burying: a friend or a dictator,” Izvestia’s sources say.

It is even more difficult for Russian diplomats to make longer-term forecasts. “You can treat the Turkmenbashi any way you like, but the situation should still develop in a legal direction, and the transfer of power should be carried out through legitimate measures,” the Kremlin believes. The only question here is how long the regime created by Niyazov, very specific and, as even diplomats admit, “ugly,” will be able to function after his death. Experts suggest that the threat of mass unrest should not be discounted: “There are a lot of offended people in Turkmenistan, people may flock to the streets.” A possible outcome is the “collapse of public administration.”

From a pragmatic point of view, the biggest danger for Moscow is the revision of current gas contracts by the future Turkmen government.

In this sense, the statements made on Thursday by representatives of the European Union are interesting: they say that Niyazov’s death affects us the least, since all contracts are concluded directly with Gazprom, and where he gets gas from is his personal business. Russia indeed has almost exclusive rights to pump Turkmen gas. So, when speaking about their hopes for “continuity,” Russian officials have first of all the energy sector - the “leakage” of Turkmen gas will mean a serious revision of the existing energy supply system.

Under Niyazov, Russia provided the lion's share of Turkmen income, so relations with Moscow were a guarantee of prosperity. After Niyazov's death, Turkmenistan will most likely become the site of a serious geopolitical game. First of all, precisely because of hydrocarbon reserves: Ashgabat promised to increase annual production to 120 billion cubic meters of gas by 2010 and double this figure by 2020. Real numbers: 70 billion cubic meters produced this year.

The policy of the Turkmenbashi, for all its exoticism, protected the country from outside interference. Although even during Niyazov’s lifetime, Izvestia experts point out, Washington itself tried to secretly find contacts with Ashgabat, not forgetting to publicly subject it to harsh criticism. The active interest of the European Union in the Central Asian region is also known. One of the reasons is the desire to obtain energy resources directly, bypassing Russia. So there will be plenty of people who want to influence the choice of the new head of the Turkmen state. Moscow will also have to take some steps in this area - so that not only memory remains from the time of Niyazov.

Turkmenistan closes borders and consulates

The Turkmen Consulate in Moscow on Thursday stopped accepting visas to this country. “We are closed today, and all questions related to obtaining a visa should be addressed no earlier than Monday,” the embassy representative said. In addition, Turkmenistan has closed its border with Uzbekistan, said a representative of the State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan. “Customs posts on the Uzbek side are operating as usual, but on the Turkmen side, passage across the border along the entire length of the state border is closed,” he said.

What is the forecast: a “color revolution” or a power vacuum?

Sergei Karaganov, President of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy:

It is obvious that the Niyazov regime will collapse. This entire region is essentially a region of falling states that are very weak and unstable. Russia will have to work with other countries to try to fill the security vacuum so that the region does not explode and turn into another ulcer that exudes instability. And this is very likely in any case: both Kyrgyzstan is in a very unstable state, and there could potentially be problems in Uzbekistan.

Alexey Malashenko, member of the scientific council of the Carnegie Moscow Center:

Nothing serious will happen in Turkmenistan in the coming days. The environment will try to come to an agreement: there is something to share, and first of all - gas. Niyazov has no direct heir: everything has been trampled underfoot. How serious a chance the opposition will get will become clear if the new authorities begin to criticize the Turkmenbashi, for example, for voluntarism. The situation may be influenced by Iran, Azerbaijan, the USA, Russia, China and, to a certain extent, Uzbekistan. The latter's president, Islam Karimov, should take a close look at what could happen to the country after the departure of its only leader, and how his legacy will be treated.

Konstantin Kosachev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs:

Economic growth under Niyazov came at the expense of significant restrictions and suppression of civil liberties and the foundations of democracy. I do not rule out that the consequences of the death of the President of Turkmenistan may be completely unpredictable. All that remains is to wish the Turkmen people to go through this difficult period of testing without serious shocks, without color revolutions.

Absolutely royal jewel

The shine of the stones emphasized the greatness of the president

Niyazov had a special passion for black Mercedes and rings with large diamonds. According to Turkmen tradition, he sometimes allowed loyal officials to kiss his hands at official events. The brilliance of precious stones emphasized its greatness.

1. Ring made of rubies and sapphires, round in yellow gold (on the middle finger of the left hand, with a hand with a white scarf covering the eye)

Ruby signifies power, nobility, command and vindictiveness. The mineral is strong, it is not afraid of blows, and the shape of the ring is not ceremonial, but working. Apparently, Comrade Niyazov wore it specifically for those around him: not too pompously and with meaning - so that they would not be forgotten.

2. Ring with a quadrangular diamond on the ring finger of the left hand (rests his cheek with his hand, speckled red tie)

A rare emerald-cut diamond in the company of perfectly matched blue sapphires, the most valuable, mined only in Burma, is an absolutely royal jewel.

3. Oval ring, yellow diamond surrounded by diamonds and blue sapphires, on the ring finger of the left hand (grabbed his chin)

A yellow diamond signifies secrecy. And if you surround him with sapphires, according to an old belief, it means to make it clear that in front of you is a wise man, with high, magnanimous thoughts.

4. Square ring, in the center is a square white diamond surrounded by sapphires (hand on lapel, himself in a red tie and a blue suit, sad)

The decoration and probably the most expensive ring from the collection of the “father of the Turkmen people” is entirely the most valuable sapphires and the purest blue water diamonds, even on the sides, which, by the way, is inconvenient - it pricks your fingers with every movement. But it constantly reminds you who’s boss in the house.

5. Square ring with a ruby ​​in the middle, dark blue sapphires at the corners (green flag in the foreground)

With one neutral gesture one can discover the expensive and elegant hobby of collecting rare stones.

INTERNET SURVEY

What awaits Turkmenistan?

1. New Turkmenbashi - 36%

2. Civil war - 15%

3. The West will intervene and try to build a democratic state there - 32%

4. The East will intervene and try to build an Islamic state there - 17%

1985 people took part in the survey

The son of Saparmurat Niyazov, Murad, was born on April 18, 1967 in Leningrad (according to another version, in Ashgabat, where his parents moved in 1967 after graduating from the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute). He was given the Turkmen name Murad (however, all his friends call him Vova). Murad graduated from one of the best schools in Ashgabat, then entered the Faculty of Law of the Turkmen State University. Gorky (now named after Magtymguly), then transferred to Leningrad to the Faculty of Law. After graduating from university, he worked as an investigator in the prosecutor's office in Moscow, and later graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Since 1993, Murad Niyazov has tried to participate in various business projects. According to various sources (there is no official biography of Murad), he, using his father’s name, took part in the construction of a foreign currency five-star hotel in the center of Ashgabat, in the sale of Turkmen gas to Ukraine and other CIS countries. They said that for the Turkmen gas supplied to Ukraine, Murad Niyazov received 300 T-72 tanks from Ukraine and sold them to Pakistan. This incident allegedly caused a cooling of relations between President Niyazov and his son.

Murad Niyazov is not involved in political or any public activities (according to one version, his father forbade him not only to engage in politics, but also to permanently reside in Turkmenistan, especially since Murad has Russian citizenship).

Sometimes information appeared about his alleged contacts with persons close to Niyazov’s opposition. Allegedly, he provided “political support” to Murad Agayev (in particular, to the Oriental and Gok Gushak companies) in monopolizing the import of tobacco and alcohol products to Turkmenistan.

In the spring of 1997, English newspapers wrote about how Niyazov’s son lost $12 million in a Madrid casino in one night.

At the beginning of June 2006, information appeared that Murad Niyazov participated in commercial transactions related to the withdrawal of family capital from Turkmenistan and its legalization abroad through certain structures in the United Arab Emirates.

He is described as a person prone to leading a disorderly lifestyle.

His first wife, Liliya Engelevna Toikina, is from a wealthy Tatar family; her father is a former employee of Ashpromtorg, head of the Light Industry Department of the State Planning Committee of the TSSR, then one of the leaders of the textile trade base of the republic. From her, Murad has a daughter, Yulia (born 1987), she lives with her mother in Moscow, but Murad does not maintain any connections with her.

His second wife Elena Ushakova, a Muscovite, was a figure skating champion. From this marriage, Murad had a daughter, Janet, in 1995, who lives with her mother in Moscow.

The third wife, Victoria Gogoleva, an Odessa resident, worked as a flight attendant at Turkmenavia; according to another version, for some time she was an employee of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Austria. They have two daughters and a son, Atamurat (born in 2004), after whose birth Murad broke off “family relations” with Victoria. For some time she lived in the United Arab Emirates, but due to lack of funds she was forced to return to Ashgabat, where she currently lives with her children.

They said that Saparmurat Niyazov “did not recognize” Murad’s children from his second and third marriage and “did not give his blessing” to these marriages, did not communicate with his grandchildren and did not help them.

Heirs, rings, illegitimate successor

Will an illegitimate son become the successor?

Valentin Zvegintsev, Maria Lyamina, Irina Bobrova

They are gossiping that the head of the funeral commission, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government Kurbankuli Berdimuhammedov is the illegitimate son of Turkmenbashi. He has already been officially appointed as acting. President of Turkmenistan.

The fact that Kurbankuli Berdimuhammedov is such a close relative of Turkmenbashi was written by both opposition Turkmen websites and the completely legal “Turkmen Spark”. Formal confirmation of this fact is that during regular “purges” of the government, the wave of Turkmenbashi’s anger bypassed Kurbankuli. Serdar could make noise at the careless minister, blaming him for the fact that “your nurses don’t even know how to give injections” (Berdymukhammedov, among other things, is the Minister of Health). But this did not entail any sanctions. In addition, it was Kurbankuli who was sent to the last CIS summit in Minsk, although he has nothing to do with the Foreign Ministry. He is not even the prime minister, but only his deputy.

What about Niyazov’s legitimate children? Batyr Mukhamedov, representative of the Turkmen opposition: “Neither Niyazov’s daughter nor son will ever succeed their father. Niyazov has been distancing himself from his children and wife in every possible way for many years. His wife Muse, a Russian by nationality, lived in Russia, and Niyazov had fun with his mistresses. His daughter Irina is married to former Russian general Sokolov, lives in France and has her own bank in Paris. But Niyazov preferred to invest money in a completely different bank. This fact suggests that he did not trust his own daughter. The son of the late president graduated from the Leningrad Law Faculty and at one time was involved in cigarette smuggling - the entire tobacco industry in Turkmenistan was given to him. He now lives in Vienna. He then occasionally visited Turkmenistan. Once during our conversation, a young man dropped the following phrase: “I’m surprised how you live in such a country...” From this I concluded that he would not be a successor.”

Nevertheless, a year and a half ago in Turkmenistan they started talking about the fact that Niyazov began to groom his son Murad as a successor. This was due to the fact that Niyazov suddenly announced that presidential elections should be held in 2010, and then began to involve the heir in state affairs, instructing him to conduct international negotiations. For example, this summer Murad took part in negotiations with the UAE for the first time as the head of the delegation. Turkmenbashi himself stated that three years is “a long enough time to raise a leader of the nation.”

Murad Niyazov is 39 years old, he has dual citizenship - Russia and Turkmenistan. He graduated from the same faculty as Putin - the Faculty of Law of Leningrad University. He worked as an investigator in the prosecutor's office in Moscow and graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry. He was engaged in business: in addition to tobacco, he traded in astrakhan fur, alcohol, cotton and the sale of Turkmen gas.

Niyazov Jr.'s passion is gaming. According to the English press, in 1997 he lost $12 million in one night in a Madrid casino.

Turkmenbashi's daughter Irina Niyazova entered the Faculty of Economics at Moscow State University in 1988. She was enrolled out of competition - under a special “national cadre” program. Then the Union republics purposefully delegated individual applicants to the capital, who then, after graduating from the university, returned home to work off the funds invested in their education. However, a similar “target set” still exists - only at the regional level.

In 1993, Irina graduated from the university under the name Sokolov. Her case was transferred to the archives of Moscow State University and since then the alma mater has not heard anything about its graduate.

Even if the father considered the possibility of preparing his son as a successor, with the death of Niyazov Sr., much stronger players than Murad will enter the political field. However, Berdymukhammedov’s opponents can use Niyazov Jr. or his sister in their game...

Marriages, wives, children

The son of Saparmurat Niyazov, Murad, was born on April 18, 1967 in Leningrad (according to another version, in Ashgabat, where his parents moved in 1967 after graduating from the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute). He was given the Turkmen name Murad (however, all his friends call him Vova). Murad graduated from one of the best schools in Ashgabat, then entered the Faculty of Law of the Turkmen State University. Gorky (now named after Magtymguly), then transferred to Leningrad to the Faculty of Law. After graduating from university, he worked as an investigator in the prosecutor's office in Moscow, and later graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Since 1993, Murad Niyazov has tried to participate in various business projects. According to various sources (there is no official biography of Murad), he, using his father’s name, took part in the construction of a foreign currency five-star hotel in the center of Ashgabat, in the sale of Turkmen gas to Ukraine and other CIS countries. They said that for the Turkmen gas supplied to Ukraine, Murad Niyazov received 300 T-72 tanks from Ukraine and sold them to Pakistan. This incident allegedly caused a cooling of relations between President Niyazov and his son.

Murad Niyazov is not involved in political or any public activities (according to one version, his father forbade him not only to engage in politics, but also to permanently reside in Turkmenistan, especially since Murad has Russian citizenship).

Sometimes information appeared about his alleged contacts with persons close to Niyazov’s opposition. Allegedly, he provided “political support” to Murad Agayev (in particular, to the Oriental and Gok Gushak companies) in monopolizing the import of tobacco and alcohol products to Turkmenistan.

In the spring of 1997, English newspapers wrote about how Niyazov’s son lost $12 million in a Madrid casino in one night.

At the beginning of June 2006, information appeared that Murad Niyazov participated in commercial transactions related to the withdrawal of family capital from Turkmenistan and its legalization abroad through certain structures in the United Arab Emirates.

He is described as a person prone to leading a disorderly lifestyle.

His first wife, Liliya Engelevna Toikina, is from a wealthy Tatar family; her father is a former employee of Ashpromtorg, head of the Light Industry Department of the State Planning Committee of the TSSR, then one of the leaders of the textile trade base of the republic. From her, Murad has a daughter, Yulia (born 1987), she lives with her mother in Moscow, but Murad does not maintain any connections with her.

His second wife Elena Ushakova, a Muscovite, was a figure skating champion. From this marriage, Murad had a daughter, Janet, in 1995, who lives with her mother in Moscow.

The third wife, Victoria Gogoleva, an Odessa resident, worked as a flight attendant at Turkmenavia; according to another version, for some time she was an employee of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Austria. They have two daughters and a son, Atamurat (born in 2004), after whose birth Murad broke off “family relations” with Victoria. For some time she lived in the United Arab Emirates, but due to lack of funds she was forced to return to Ashgabat, where she currently lives with her children.

They said that Saparmurat Niyazov “did not recognize” Murad’s children from his second and third marriage and “did not give his blessing” to these marriages, did not communicate with his grandchildren and did not help them. [...]

An absolutely royal jewel. The brilliance of the huge stones emphasized the greatness of the President

Niyazov had a special passion for black Mercedes and rings with large stones. According to Turkmen tradition, he sometimes allowed loyal officials to kiss his hands at official events. The brilliance of the jewels emphasized his greatness.

1. Yellow gold ring with rubies and sapphires

Ruby signifies power, nobility, command and vindictiveness.

The mineral is strong, it is not afraid of blows, and the shape of the ring is not ceremonial, but working. Apparently, Comrade Niyazov wore it specifically for those around him: not too pompously and with meaning - so that they would not be forgotten.

2. Ring with a quadrangular diamond framed by sapphires

A rare emerald-cut diamond in the company of perfectly matched blue sapphires, the most valuable, mined only in Burma, is an absolutely royal jewel.

3. Ring with a yellow diamond surrounded by diamonds and blue sapphires

A yellow diamond signifies secrecy. And if you surround him with sapphires, according to an old belief, it means to make it clear that in front of you is a wise man, with high, magnanimous thoughts.

4. Ring with a square white diamond surrounded by sapphires

The decoration and probably the most expensive ring from the collection of the “father of the Turkmen people” is entirely the most valuable sapphires and the purest blue water diamonds, even on the sides, which, by the way, is inconvenient - it pricks your fingers with every movement. But it constantly reminds you who’s boss in the house.

5. Ring with a sapphire in the middle with dark blue sapphires on the corners

With one neutral gesture one can discover the expensive and elegant hobby of collecting rare stones.

Monuments and altars were erected to the leader

Andrey Reut

“Turkmenbashi loves fountains very much,” a Turkmen state security officer named Sasha told me. “It’s hot here in Ashgabat, but fountains keep us cool.” Sasha appeared next to me as soon as I got off the plane.

It was very difficult to part with him. Only at night, when we ran away from the hotel to walk around the city, for some reason he did not appear. Apparently he was sleeping.

Ashgabat fountains are truly beautiful. You won't see these anywhere else. To build his “garden city” with palaces and fountains, the Turkmenbashi demolished several districts in the center of the capital, and sent the people who lived there to “develop virgin lands.” Fashionable French architects were invited to build all this splendor, who gracefully entwined the golden figures of the Turkmenbashi himself, as well as his mother and father, with water jets. You have no idea what it is - hectares of fountains!

Actually, Saparmurat Niyazov grew up an orphan. His father, Atamurat, died in 1943, when the future Turkmenbashi was three years old. During a terrible earthquake in 1948, his mother died. But Saparmurat turned out to be a grateful son. Gilded sculptures of his parents have been replicated throughout the country.

The city is named after his father. He is a three-time hero of Turkmenistan. And last year, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko awarded the Turkmenbashi’s father the Order of Yaroslav the Wise. Posthumously.

If Turkmenbashi's father is considered a symbol of military valor in Turkmenistan, then his mother is the embodiment of maternal principles. She is usually depicted with ears of corn or with a child in her arms, and since she was born in April, this month was named after her. Turkmenbashi named January and the city of Krasnovodsk with his own name. And also the airport, streets, factories, collective farms, schools...

Portraits of Saparmurat Niyazov hang in every Turkmen home, inside and outside. (Several years ago, the gray-haired “father of all Turkmen” decided to return the color of a raven’s wing to his hair - then all the images of Turkmenbashi in the country had to be urgently replaced.) If the house is large, then a greeting to the president is also written on it. And if the house is respected, then in front of it there is a monument to Niyazov.

There are thousands of Turkmenbashi monuments. The largest one - made of pure gold - is installed in the central square of Ashgabat. It rotates around its axis so that the father of the Turkmen people always looks at the sun. Around are fabulous white marble palaces, next to each are smaller monuments. Another monument to Niyazov - a written one - is learned by heart by all Turkmen schoolchildren. This is his book "Rukhnama", "the cultural and moral code of the nation", published in a million copies and translated into 30 languages.

In Ashgabat, I went into a store in the city center and saw an “altar” - a table with a portrait of Niyazov, next to fresh flowers and a chair. “If He wants to come here, He will have somewhere to sit and inhale the aroma of flowers,” said our guide. Later I learned that there are such altars in every institution.

Turkmenbashi was revered so much that the whole country unquestioningly pulled out his gold teeth when he decided that they did not make the Turkmens beautiful. Niyazov also banned beards, radio tape recorders, opera, foreign press and diplomas from Russian universities.

“Turkmenbashi loves marble,” said an officer named Sasha, “it’s hot here, and marble gives a feeling of coolness. In Ashgabat, it is forbidden to build houses that are not lined with marble. And even old houses will soon all be covered with marble.” I saw these old houses. Next to the white stone gallery of fountains, dedicated to the life path of the Turkmenbashi, there was a high fence. Children were peeking out from behind him. We, Moscow journalists, blatantly climbed onto the parapet of the fountain to look over the fence. There were visible rickety wooden sheds in which people lived. Many people. But they were not in the city - it was “cleared” before the arrival of the Russian delegation. There were military men standing along the fence. Not everyone has the right to walk around the golden city.

“I know what will happen after my death, my monuments will be destroyed, portraits on money will be destroyed.”

Original of this material
© "Vremya Novostei", 22.12. 2006, "I know what will happen after my death." Turkmenbashi's heart stopped - the struggle for power began

Arkady Dubnov

[...] And about. President of Turkmenistan Kurbankuli Berdimuhammedov spoke on national television. He assured his compatriots that “Turkmenistan will continue the policy of Turkmenbashi, and the Turkmen people will always be faithful to the covenants, orders and instructions of their leader and will complete the work he has begun.”

Meanwhile, the author of these lines once had to hear the opinion of Niyazov himself about what would happen after his death. It was different from what was said above. In April 1998, I had the opportunity to cover Niyazov’s visit to the United States. Once in New York, during a private meeting with the leaders of Jewish organizations in America, Niyazov suddenly, on his own initiative, preempting possible questions, started talking about “the cult of a certain personality being propagated in Turkmenistan.” “You remember,” Niyazov shared in a narrow circle of interlocutors, “we had such an Ilyich in the Soviet Union and his cult for 70 years. And where is this Ilyich and his cult now?! And I’ve only been president for seven years. I know what will happen after my death, my monuments will be destroyed, portraits on money will be destroyed, but understand - today my people need symbols that they can be proud of.”[...]

On December 21, Saparmurat Niyazov, who led Turkmenistan for more than twenty years, died.

Rings and Mercedes of Turkmenbashi

Portraits of Saparmurat Niyazov hang in every Turkmen home, inside and outside. (Several years ago, the gray-haired “father of all Turkmen” decided to return the color of a raven’s wing to his hair - then all the images of Turkmenbashi in the country had to be urgently replaced.) If the house is large, then a greeting to the president is also written on it. And if the house is respected, then in front of it there is a monument to Niyazov.

There are thousands of Turkmenbashi monuments. The largest one - made of pure gold - is installed in the central square of Ashgabat. It rotates around its axis so that the father of the Turkmen people always looks at the sun. Around are fabulous white marble palaces, next to each are smaller monuments.

Another monument to Niyazov - a written one - is learned by heart by all Turkmen schoolchildren. This is his book “Rukhnama”, “the cultural and moral code of the nation”, published in a million copies and translated into 30 languages.

Dmitry BUEVICH, General Director
TV channel "STS-Prima":

Of course, Niyazov was an authoritarian: the fact that he did not leave behind a successor is proof of this. You know, parallels arise with the same Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, who also did not have a successor. Who shuffled his entourage so that none of them strengthened. And, accordingly, after his death the question of a successor did not arise. Let's remember what happened next in our history: then there was a struggle for power in the country - until some clans became stronger. It's the same in Turkmenistan. I don’t think that there will be political chaos in Turkmenistan, such as, for example, there was in Kyrgyzstan. The fact that after some numbness there will be a struggle between factions, in my opinion, is natural and obvious.

Andrey KOLESNIKOV, journalist (Moscow):

Oleg BEZRUKIKH, director
production company "Production Line":

I think I’m not the only one who can call Niyazov authoritarian. He was elected president for life. This in itself speaks of a kind of authoritarianism. He himself established his own power and planned to use it for quite a long time. But higher powers intervened, let’s say... I don’t know if the Turkmen people are happy. And this is the main assessment - whether the Turkmen people are happy. Our Russian people are happy, so we consider the results of Putin’s rule successful... As for Niyazov’s family, his personal fortune, I have no doubt at all that he ruled extremely successfully in this sense. I think that the connections that he established, the connections that the Turkmen elite established, despite the death of Saparmurat, will remain with the Russian elite.

Vasily Utkin, sports commentator
TV channel "NTV Plus":

To be honest, I didn’t follow the events in Turkmenistan much. But a couple of years ago I was traveling by train to St. Petersburg. And in the compartment with me was a man, a Turkmen, who participated in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. And I found out that Turkmenistan is the only republic of the former Soviet Union that does not recognize Chernobyl liquidators as a category of citizens who need benefits. It seemed so wild and strange to me... After that, I began to treat Saparmurat differently. You can read a lot, but a specific story, a specific person opens your eyes to more. The most interesting thing is that this man came to Russia to buy medicine; he himself lives poorly. A ticket to a good compartment was bought for him by his comrades who live in Russia. In fact, he was supported by those people who knew him well and lived in Russia. This example quite clearly characterizes the attitude of the Turkmen leader towards his people.

Victor KHOMUTOV, entrepreneur:

I have been working in the construction industry for about fifteen years. You know, from my own experience I can say: at construction sites you most often meet people from our former republics who live very poorly: Tajiks, Uzbeks, Moldovans, Ukrainians, Yugoslavs - you name it. But I haven’t seen a single Turkmen in fifteen years! This means that everything is more or less normal in Turkmenistan. Not quite as bad as it might seem. Ordinary people live better there than in other republics. Thus, Turkmenbashi did something for his people. I think that now a redistribution of property will begin in Turkmenistan: the opposition will return - it will fight for power, for money, for the distribution of money.

Sergey TOLMACHEV, General Director
LLC "Social Communications Agency "Vertical":

I cannot have a positive or negative attitude towards Niyazov, because he is not the leader of our country. Therefore, most likely, it needs to be considered from the point of view of Russia’s interests. In this sense, Turkmenistan is a country that, under the rule of Turkmenbashi, built constructive relationships with us, unlike many of our other partners in the former Soviet Union. Now, after the death of Saparmurat, relations between Russia and Turkmenistan will undergo changes. In fact, now we need to observe how the political process will develop there. Of course, elections will be called in the near future. In the future, everything will depend on what political forces come and who will take his post. In a country like Turkmenistan, everything is unpredictable. His entourage may split into several competing clans: some may be oriented toward Russia, others toward the West, and still others toward the Islamic idea.

Murat was born in Leningrad and spent most of his life outside his homeland - sometimes in Russia, sometimes in Europe, sometimes in the Arab world

Turkmenbashi's son Murat Niyazov is, in principle, ripe for power - he is already 39 years old. Recently, Turkmenbashi has slowly begun to bring him into the light: either anticipating his death, or perhaps still thinking about a successor. Murat held a number of international negotiations as the “first person”.

True, the Constitution plays against him, according to which only a person born in Turkmenistan can become president. And Murat was born in Leningrad and spent most of his life outside his homeland - sometimes in Russia, sometimes in Europe, sometimes in the Arab world. It is unclear what forces may be behind it. And Turkmenbashi himself kept him at a distance for a long time: he was allegedly dissatisfied with the fact that his son wasted huge sums in the casino.

But the Constitution in the East can be easily altered, as has happened more than once. In addition, all Turkmen money, according to Western sources, is kept in Niyazov’s personal accounts. And their main heir is their son. And this is a strong lever in his hands.

And the fact that Murat is a person “outside the clans” can be turned into a plus. After all, representatives of various Turkmen factions may well choose him as Turkmenbashi’s successor - as an inconspicuous person in order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Niyazov's son lost huge sums in casinos

Several unknown facts from the life of the Turkmenbashi family

Niyazov met his future wife, Muse Sokolova, during his years of study at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. Muza Alekseevna is two years older than her husband. In 1967 they moved to Turkmenistan.

They say that when in 1985 the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee decided who to appoint as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan (and three or four candidates were considered), the nationality of Niyazov’s wife played a decisive role. Members of the Politburo believed that under the leader of the republic, who has a Russian wife, there would be no nationalism. But after the collapse of the Union, Niyazov alienated Muza Alekseevna from himself. He did not want the nation to have before its eyes the corrupting example of interethnic marriages, and such were the marriages of “himself,” his daughter Irina, and his son Murat. Those close to him were “not at home” with him. Therefore, now Muza Alekseevna lives in Europe - either with her son or with her daughter. But once a year, on New Year’s holidays, I always came to Ashgabat.

Niyazov's son Murat lives in Vienna. He, like his father, studied in Leningrad at the university's law department. Then he worked as an investigator at the prosecutor's office in Moscow. After the collapse of the USSR, he went into business - he built luxury hotels in Ashgabat. But at the same time he graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Now Murat Niyazov owns an offshore company registered in Cyprus, through which mutual settlements for gas with Ukraine take place. According to the Western press, he leads the lifestyle of a gambler and financial swindler, regularly getting into scandalous stories. In the spring of 1997, English newspapers wrote that Murat lost $12 million overnight in a Madrid casino. For the Turkmen gas supplied to Ukraine, Murat Niyazov received 300 T-72 tanks and sold them to Pakistan. A scandal broke out between Russia and Turkmenistan around this issue, but it was soon hushed up.

Murat is married for the third time.

Turkmenbashi’s daughter Irina successfully graduated from Moscow University with a degree in cybernetics. Then she married the director of the Central Bank department, Sokolov, and now lives with her husband in London, where he heads a branch of one of the Russian banks. They say that Irina is distinguished by pragmatism, but she does not engage in business on her own.

REPORT IN THE ISSUE

No one cried at the Turkmenistan embassy

Yesterday at the Turkmen embassy, ​​journalists were waiting for everything. From a rally of dissidents opposing the Turkmenbashi regime to crowds of mourners and mourners of the “Father of the Nation”. But there was complete silence at the embassy in Filippovsky Lane, not far from Arbat. Two policemen on duty at the entrance, TV crews filming closed doors, and two workers who for some reason pulled down the Turkmen national flag with a mourning ribbon that hung near the entrance to the embassy.

“They told us to clean it up, so we’re cleaning it up,” was all they answered to all the questions.

The Turkmen embassy stood without a banner for an hour, until the same workers hoisted it onto the second floor balcony - to a more visible place.

Embassy employees, apparently having not received any directives from Ashgabat, did not give any comments yesterday. They also did not hold funeral events, they only promised that today they would open the book of grief so that everyone could leave their condolences in it.

AND AT THIS TIME

First daughter-in-law of Turkmenbashi: I don’t want to talk or think about it

Saparmurat Niyazov’s first daughter-in-law, Lilia Engelevna Toikina, has been living in Moscow for a long time. The first marriage of Turkmenbashi's son Murat was the only one that was blessed by Saparmurat Atayevich. In October 1987, the couple had a daughter, Julia. They say that Niyazov initially treated his granddaughter with great warmth and sympathy. But this love ended suddenly. When the girl was 10 years old, she visited her grandfather in Ashgabat and was amazed at the number of monuments to him.

Grandfather, why so many things: your portraits everywhere, and monuments? - the child asked naively.

This question infuriated Turkmenbashi. Niyazov did not forgive his granddaughter for her involuntary insolence and since then has not even thought about Yulia. He also did not recognize other grandchildren - children from the next two marriages of Murat Niyazov.

How did you find me? - Liliya Toykina was amazed at our call. - Well, it’s necessary, no one needed it before. And today everyone calls - acquaintances, strangers. I have never given any interviews. If I communicate with journalists, it is only because I am friends with many of them. How did I react to the death of Saparmurat Niyazov? How can you react to the news of the death of a person whom you knew well and communicated with? Surprise. Surprise: he died? Can't be!

The former daughter-in-law is not going to Niyazov’s funeral - she has long forgotten the period of her life associated with his family. In any case, I wouldn’t want to remember him.

We haven’t maintained a relationship with Murat for a long time,” says Liliya Engelevna. - I don’t even know the names of his other wives. And I don’t want to talk or think about that period.

Yesterday we contacted prominent representatives of the Turkmen opposition.

Khudaiberdy Orazov is a former Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan. He fled the country in 2003 after he was accused of preparing an assassination attempt on Niyazov. Now lives in Sweden, leader of the VATAN movement - the Turkmen opposition in exile.

Journalist Batyr Mukhamedov represents the Turkmen United Democratic Opposition in Moscow.

Khudaiberdy ORAZOV, former Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan: We will gather in Ashgabat

Mr. Orazov, they say that Niyazov died a few days ago, but the people were not informed about this.

No. According to our information, Niyazov became ill just last night. After all, just two days ago he participated in negotiations with EU representatives on gas issues.

How did the opposition take the news of Turkmenbashi's death?

Of course, when a person dies, it is not appropriate to rejoice. However, in our case, we all breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the country got rid of a dictator who tyrannized his people for many years.

Have you already planned some actions?

I think that during this week we will be able to gather in Ashgabat and discuss all issues. I am sure that this event will be public.

Do you already have a candidate for the role of future president?

Elections will be held in the country within two months. In Ashgabat we will discuss our candidates. But no matter who is elected president, the country's politics will change. Turkmenistan will become more predictable, including for Russia.

Batyr MUKHAMEDOV, journalist: Perhaps his own people removed him

I suspect that Niyazov's death is not accidental. It is possible that this is a palace coup. Moreover, people from his circle could have killed him not out of a desire to seize power, but out of a sense of self-preservation, since any of them could be physically eliminated at any moment.

We can say that the Nero of the 21st century has died, because the Niyazov regime cannot even be compared with Stalin’s - it is rather North Korean.

Turkmenbashi once said in a small circle that every man should visit the camp. Drugs or ammunition could have been planted on any of us. And take him to the camp. For example, I stayed there for 27 weeks.

Who can replace Niyazov? If the elections are fair, opposition candidates have great chances. Otherwise, I do not exclude a repetition of the Ukrainian and Kyrgyz scenarios.

OFFICIALLY

Biography of Saparmurat Niyazov

After graduating from school, in 1959 he worked as an instructor for the Turkmen Committee of the Trade Union of Geological Exploration. Then he studied at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute, where in 1967 he received a diploma in power engineering.

In 1965 he worked as a molder in Leningrad, since 1967 - foreman at the Bezmeyskaya State District Power Plant in the Ashgabat region, since 1970 - instructor, deputy. head of the department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan, since 1980 - first secretary of the Ashgabat city party committee, since 1984 - instructor of the department of organization of party work of the CPSU Central Committee, in 1985 - chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Turkmen SSR, since December 1985 - first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan, since January 1990 - Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic.

The post of president was introduced in Turkmenistan in 1990. Niyazov was elected to this post by popular vote (98.3% of the vote).

In December 1999, the People's Council of Turkmenistan decided on the lifelong presidency of Saparmurat Niyazov, but Turkmenbashi stated that elections would still take place after 2008.

Niyazov is survived by his wife, two children and two grandchildren.

ECONOMY

Turkmen gas goes through Russia

The volume of trade between Russia and Turkmenistan last year amounted to only $301.1 million. This is a rather small amount.

Turkmen cotton accounts for only 1% of the total imports of this fiber to Russia. Experts say the same about wool and astrakhan fur.

If any difficulties arise with supplies, this will not affect our industry in any way,” Boris FOMIN, president of the Union of Entrepreneurs of the Textile and Light Industry of Russia, told KP.

Much more significant is the gas issue. Russia buys 30 - 40 billion cubic meters from Turkmenistan annually, and at a price of $100 per cubic meter, when the world price of gas goes through the roof for $200. Turkmen gas is pumped to Ukraine and other countries. Some analysts threaten that supply disruptions and an increase in prices for Turkmen gas are now possible. However, most experts are sure otherwise.

There will be no tragedy, and the balance of power in the CIS gas market will not change, says Gennady SHMAL, president of the Union of Oil and Gas Industrialists of Russia. - Perhaps the new leadership of Turkmenistan will try to raise gas prices, but they also grew under Niyazov. In addition, Gazprom has a good trump card in its hands - all the main gas pipelines pass through our country.

Instability in the gas issue could cause fluctuations in the stock market, some experts predict and threaten a fall in Gazprom shares.

The stock market, of course, reacts violently to everything that is happening,” comments Dmitry ROSTOVSKY, asset manager of the Amity investment group. - But I see no reason to panic. Russia and Turkmenistan are bound by bilateral agreements on the supply of raw materials. The relationship is mutually beneficial, and it is unlikely that the Turkmen side will want to interrupt it.

He donated $100 thousand to St. Petersburg Polytechnic University

Saparmurat Niyazov spent his student years in Leningrad: in 1967 he graduated from the Polytechnic Institute. True, before that he had attempted to study in Moscow. But a year later he was expelled from there for poor academic performance.

He was sent to study with us by the Council of Ministers of Turkmenistan,” said the President of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Yuri VASILIEV. - He was already 20 years old, the oldest in the group, and, of course, Niyazov occupied a leading position in it. He was already a member of the CPSU.

And you know what surprised me? Niyazov chose the Faculty of Physics and Mechanics, the most difficult. How did you study? Yes, there were threes. In mathematical disciplines.

After graduating from the Polytechnic, I personally met with Niyazov twice,” continues Yuri Sergeevich. - He gave the impression of a frank person.

And then in 2003, Niyazov came to the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg and came to see us. We asked why he is Turkmenbashi. Niyazov calmly replied that this was not his whim, his elders convinced him. They said that the Turkmens had not had a leader for 500 years who would suit all the people. And now there is such a person.

And at the end Niyazov says: you understand that I am not a poor person, and, paying tribute to the university that educated me, accept a modest gift. And he handed us a check for 100 thousand dollars!

Turkmenbashi, according to media reports, was not in good health. They said he had diabetes and kidney problems. And many people generally knew about a weak heart. In 1997, Niyazov underwent a complex coronary heart bypass operation in Germany.

After this, the president underwent periodic examinations. Last year, foreign doctors examined him twice in Ashgabat. The German heart surgeon Hans Meissner, who performed the operation on the leader in 1997, took part in the examination. This year, Meisner did not come for the traditional examination, and everyone decided that since there was no need for this, it means that the president is on the mend. And the doctors officially announced that the health of the Great Serdar can only be envied.

The illusions were dispelled when Niyazov fell ill at the anniversary of the Ministry of National Security in October. Then the unofficial reason for the deterioration of Turkmenbashi’s condition was called an exacerbation of coronary heart disease.

FROM THE HOURS

Diana GURTSKAYA: The President loved the Internet!

A popular singer performed at his birthday

We called Diana to find out more about that meeting. The artist, who received the title of Honored Artist of Russia yesterday in the Kremlin, was very upset by the news of Niyazov’s death.

First of all, I express my deep condolences to Niyazov’s loved ones,” Diana said. - Turkmenbashi was an incredibly interesting person. I was struck by one of his actions. When we came to visit him, Niyazov came up to my brother Robert, shook his hands and said: “There is no reward in the world that could reward you for what you did for your sister!” Robert was extremely surprised, saying how such a big man knew him. To which Niyazov replied: “I know the Internet very well! I know all the news!” You see, he was a very advanced and modern politician. I was touched by his humane attitude towards me. And I really hope that Niyazov’s successors will be able to preserve and increase all the benefits that Turkmenbashi did for Turkmenistan.

Kirill ANTONOV
Nigina BEROEVA