Another case of forced financial contributions among civil servants has emerged in Turkmenistan. In early April, four employees of the Kerki district’s cultural department were dismissed after protesting salary deductions. The funds were intended to finance the purchase of a television monitor designated to display images of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
Salary Deductions Without Consent
According to an order from local authorities, 230 Turkmenistan Manat (TMT) was deducted from the March salaries of employees at urban and rural cultural centers to pay for a large monitor at the Kerki Palace of Culture. Given that average monthly salaries range between 1,800-2,100 TMT (officially $514-$600, unofficially $92-$108), the deduction represented a significant portion of income.
The monitor was meant to display the president’s image against a national flag backdrop during official events. At other times, it remained unused. Several employees independently refused the deduction and were subsequently dismissed. Among them was a cleaning staff member.
Coercion and Unofficial Duties
One of the dismissed workers, a resident of Taze Usul village, reported that such deductions are routine. Employees are also compelled to engage in activities beyond their job descriptions, such as growing silkworm cocoons, harvesting cotton, and cleaning streets ahead of official visits. These tasks often occur on weekends and public holidays.
Following their refusal to pay, the dismissed workers were allegedly visited by police, who pressured them into signing resignation letters citing “health reasons.”
“I wrote several letters to the etrap and velayat hakims, and to the Minister of Culture in Ashgabat. No action was taken, except my dismissal,” said one of the affected employees.
As a result of the dismissals, only two individuals remain at each cultural center in the Kerki district, now personally bearing the costs of maintenance, repairs, and event organization.
Pattern of Enforced Contributions
This incident is part of a broader pattern. In January 2025, civil servants in the newly built city of Arkadag, including teachers and librarians, were reportedly pressured to purchase homes on mortgage, with down payments ranging from 75,000 to 80,000 TMT ($21,428-$22,857).
In May 2024, state agency heads in Balkan velayat were ordered to purchase souvenir watches featuring portraits of former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his son, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Prices ranged from 1,500 to 3,000 TMT ($428-$857) depending on seniority.
Similar practices go back years. In August 2020, civil servants in Farap were compelled to buy domestically manufactured televisions, with 2,400 TMT ($685) deducted from their salaries in advance. Delivery was delayed by months. In February 2018, state employees had to pay for bicycles to join a mass bike ride, with contributions per worker depending on the institutional size. The cost of a bicycle reached 4,000 TMT ($1,142).
According to civil servants, refusal to participate in such initiatives increasingly results in job loss, a sign of deepening authoritarian control in Turkmenistan’s public sector.
