Turkmen servicemen leave the ranks of the national army en masse — Mass media

Turkmen servicemen are leaving the ranks of the national army en masse. This is reported by Asia Today.

As the agency reports, the armed forces of Turkmenistan are faced with a massive dismissal of personnel. According to the agency's sources, in response to the current situation, the country's Defense Minister Begench Gundogdiyev made a decision that many consider absurd. He banned layoffs. The relevant order was communicated to all levels of command, turning the legal right to file a report into an unofficial taboo. The commanders were instructed to prevent the registration of documents and conduct "educational conversations" with the officers.

Despite the current bans, the number of dismissals continues to grow, and dozens of such cases are recorded every month, but now they occur unofficially. Some servicemen simply do not go on duty, waiting for the command to lose interest in their documents. Others are forced to resort to personal contacts in the ministry, since only through acquaintances can one achieve "release" from duties. A particularly difficult situation is observed among senior officers: reports of majors and above often remain unsigned, even if these officers do not appear on duty for months.

The main reasons for the mass departure remain the same and well-known: extremely low wages, an acute shortage of affordable housing, an authoritarian disciplinary system, widespread corruption among the leadership and constant psychological pressure. Instead of looking for systemic solutions, the authorities prefer to impose bans and bureaucratic tricks. Many officers are considering emigrating, but face difficulties, since without a military ID, work record and passport it is difficult for them to find a decent job or leave the country.