Turkmen president suggests setting up financial police to fight corruption.

 
    ASHGABAD, July 30 (Itar-Tass) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly
Berdymukhamedov suggested setting up financial police to fight corruption
in Turkmenistan.  The presidential proposal came in the wake of an open
trial held on Thursday over a group of executives of the Turkmen Central
Bank who extorted money from customers.
    "Unfortunately, there are people in our ranks who hold responsible
posts at state institutions but are more concerned with their personal
interests rather than state ones," the president went on to say.
    "The bank employees used their position for personal enrichment. They
took bribes, thus jeopardizing the country's image in the eyes of foreign
companies," Berdymukhamedov stressed.
    "A company which was supposed to start the construction of a vital
facility following a government decision couldn't get financing for the
project until its representative didn't bribe the bank employees," the
Turkmen head of state said, adding the prosecutor's office was
investigating plenty of corruption cases.
    Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov promised to root out corruption in
Turkmenistan and punish every person engaged in illegal activities.
    The trial over the bankers was shown on national television last
Thursday. They were sentenced to 15 years in prison for corruption. The
damage to the Turkmen state caused by the Central Bank employees is
estimated at more than 4.6 million dollars.
    Police have confiscated eight apartments, nine cars and 17 pieces of
various building equipment from the bank employees.
 
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