The comprehensive database is expected to enable lawmakers, parliamentary staff, courts and prosecutor’s offices, government officials, legal experts and the general public to access the country’s applicable legislation free-of-charge and in a user-friendly manner.

"The database was designed and created with the aim of promoting the accessibility of current legislation. It is expected to support the on-going legal reform and further strengthen the transparency of the legislative system," said Ambassador Arsim Zekolli, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

The reference tool allows searches of all normative acts and international treaties currently in force by keyword, document title, date of enactment and number. Documents in the database are available in Turkmen and Russian languages. International treaties are also available in English.

The Centre is planning to provide the database to other authorities, such as the Parliament and the National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan. To ensure sustainability, follow-up meetings are planned to discuss the monthly update of the database.

The project is part of the Centre’s human dimension efforts to further strengthen Turkmenistan’s legal information system by enhancing awareness as well as the predictability of the legal system.