Ashgabat (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The victory of Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov in Turkmenistan’s presidential election has been announced. In his first address during the swearing-in ceremony today, he harked back to the legacy of his predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov but also promised to implement some anticipated reforms.

The new president got 89.23% of votes in an election that western observers and the opposition abroad claimed was neither free nor fair. A total of 98.65% of eligible voters are said to have cast their vote. This figure that holds no surprises, given that the official statistic in the last presidential poll in 1992 was 99.8% of voters when there was only one candidate.

The former dentist has served as education and later health minister and was also prime minister with Niyazov. He was one of the former leader’s longest lasting collaborators and proved capable of surviving unscathed his frequent government reshuffles. Those who know him say he is calm and obedient but “astute”. His inauguration took place in the presence of diplomats from around the world, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher. His inauguration was announced even if there was never any doubt about what the outcome of the election would be. In his inaugural speech Berdymukhamedov immediately declared plans to “transport energy to world markets, sticking firmly to bilateral agreements and in future we will base our relations on mutual benefits and equal rights."

The ex-president Nizayov reduced spending on education and health care, refused to grant pensions and isolated his country from the outside world. The electoral program of the new president promises reform in the education, pension, agriculture and information sectors. Amid internal desolation, there is news that Turkmentelekom, the only internet provider, is preparing the “country’s first internet café.”

The Christian NGO Open Doors has recalled that the country is among the most oppressive in terms of religious freedom and said the new president did not mention “political changes, press freedom and the release of political prisoners” in his program.