OREANDA-NEWS. On April 6, 2008 an international seminar focused on the legislation on public associations was held at the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under President of Turkmenistan.

The two-day forum organized by the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights with assistance of the Government of Turkmenistan, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) brought together the leading specialists of the Mejlis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economy and Development, the Chief State Tax Service, the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights and the representatives of the public organisations including the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, the National Trade Union Centre, the Women’s Union, Magtymguly Youth Organisation and others.

Discussing the agenda of the seminar the participants focused on importance of establishing close mutually advantageous co-operation with the largest international organisations and expressed belief that the joint activity aimed at improving the national legislation would promote further democratization of the Turkmen society and implementation of the standards of international law.

Highly appreciating the progressive reforms including those aimed at improving the national legislation initiated by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov the participants emphasized that introducing the international law standards into the activities of public organisations was another step towards achieving this purpose. They noted that basing on the current statistical data collected by the independent experts in 36 countries worldwide non-profit organisations considerably contributed to social development of through successfully implementing more than a half of the programmes of assistance in the spheres of healthcare, education and culture.

The database of the laws regulating the activities of public organisations all over the world was presented to the participants. Focusing on importance of the state support to non-profit organisations the organizers put the current laws related to financing and preferential taxation of non-profit organisations on the agenda.

The International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), the experts of which arrived in Ashgabat to take part in the seminar, will provide consulting assistance to develop the legal documents aimed at improving the activities of non-governmental organisations. The ICNL has been collaborating with Turkmenistan since 1997 providing assistance to local lawyers and conducting various seminars and events on a regular basis.