In the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat authorities have tightened control over citizens queuing in front of state shops. Police officers are looking for residents of suburban villages who come to the capital’s state shops to buy favorable bread. This was reported by Radio Azatlyk.
According to their correspondent, employees of district departments of internal affairs in official cars are traveling around the shops and patrolling the yards of high-rise buildings. The main target is citizens who come to buy bread from neighboring districts and villages. “Suspicious” people are detained and asked to show a passport or other identification. If it turns out that the detainee is registered in a suburban district or village, he or she is taken to the police station at the place of residence, where he or she is subjected to threats and intimidation.
Such a “raid” against newcomers is aimed at reducing the number of people standing in queues. At least this is how the employees of state shops comment on the situation. However, according to residents of suburban settlements, people have to go to the capital because the price of subsidized bread has increased by 10%.
The Ashgabat Trade Department does not comment on the reason for the measures against travelers. However, the authorities require citizens to buy subsidized products only at their place of residence. There is a verbal order prohibiting the purchase of subsidized products in shops located in other districts. This prohibition does not apply only to residents of Gokdepa district.
Meanwhile, the quality of subsidized bread in state shops is deteriorating, but despite this, there is no end to the number of people wishing to buy the flour product. The situation with the shortage of subsidized products in state shops across the country has noticeably worsened. Food rations are regularly delayed, in some regions, residents are waiting for them for six months. There is not enough subsidized bread for everyone who wants it. Moreover, the quality of the rations has deteriorated – worms and bugs can be found in the flour. And this is happening at a time when the majority of the country’s population depends on subsidized food.
In addition, the previous day it was reported that in Turkmenabad, to get rid of queues, the authorities plan to introduce a system of selling subsidized products by tokens.
The government of Turkmenistan is carefully trying to conceal the problem of subsidized food shortages and continues to claim that it is strengthening food security.
