Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report that despite the COVID-19 restrictions, Ashgabat residents are trying to hold family events before 2 April the beginning of the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, a month of fasting and praying.
On 30 March a family planned to celebrate the child’s birthday and invited friends to a café in Bezmein, which is located near Jennet restaurant.
The café owner was supposed to “resolve” the problem with local authorities regarding the ban for mass events.In order to cover expenses for this “service” he charged an additional fee.
During COVID-19 restrictions the practice of circumventing the ban for festivities for a bribe became wide-spread.However, it transpired later that the café owner failed to make arrangements but decided to the hold the event hoping that there would be no problems.
About 12 a.m., after all the guests had gathered and waiters started serving dishes, about 15 police officers burst into the café.
They overthrew tables with food and drinks and demanded that the guests disperse and a few waiters and the café staff were placed in a prisoner transport vehicle.
The family celebrating the event lives nearly. They collected the remaining dishes and drinks and invited guests to their home and to the house of their neighbours who agreed to host the party.
In such cases bans are easily circumvented by paying bribes to officials from the khyakimlik’s office or police officers. The tents for holding family events with many guests are currently installed in the district of Khitrovka, in the residential district of Parakhat-7 and the Gaudan neighbourhood. Police officers do not pay visits there.
As was repeatedly reported, despite the public health restrictions and closing of restaurants and shops, some cafes, restaurants and retail outlets are still operating.
They are allegedly owned to Berdymukhammedovs’ relatives.The post Ashgabat residents try to circumvent a ban for large-scale events for a bribe first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.