The Chairwoman of the Turkmenistan Mejlis, Dunyagozel Gulmanova, signed a Resolution ‘On Issues of Administrative-Territorial Division,’ which provides for the creation of a number of new etraps in four velayats of the country and the clarification of the boundaries of existing administrative units. This was reported by the state news agency TDH.

According to the document, new etraps will be formed in the Ahal, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary velayats: Altyn Asyr (Ahal velayat, centre - the city of Altyn Asyr); Garashsyzlyk and Gubadag (Dashoguz velayat, centres — the cities of Andalyp and Gubadag); Dovletli, Farap and Garabekevul (Lebap velayat, centres — the village of Dovletli, the cities of Farap and Garabekevul); Oguzhan (Mary velayat, centre – Parahat settlement).

The Resolution also defines the redistribution of land plots and settlements between etraps, as well as the transfer of the administrative centre of the Akdepe etrap of Dashoguz velayat to the city of Akdepe.

In addition, a new village, Kepele, has been created in the Ahal velayat, while the geneshlik of Gorjav has been abolished. In the Lebap velayat, the villages of Gyrteki, Hojashulluk and Malik have been removed from the list of administrative-territorial units due to a lack of population.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the velayat hakims have been instructed to describe the boundaries of the new etraps. Changes will also be made to the list of administrative-territorial units of Turkmenistan, approved in 2010.