Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov severely reprimanded chairman of Turkmenistan's state committee for tourism and sport Byashim Kerimov at a government meeting on 12 September. He signed a decree to this effect.

The official was reprimanded following the audit of construction works in the territory of the national tourist zone Awaza, the Turkmenistan.ru correspondent reports from Ashgabat. As was reported, the state committee for tourism and sport did not pay proper attention to preliminary assessment of investment projects. For this reason, important issues related to organization of work were not addressed in time, thus seriously slowing down the implementation of a number of projects.

"Avaza is a large-scale national project that we pay a particular attention to both from the point of successful implementation of the ongoing reforms in Turkmenistan and establishment of broad international cooperation," Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted. He said shortcomings revealed by the audit are impermissible.

Byashim Kerimov was warned that he would be relieved of his post if he did not correct shortcomings in a very short period.