Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Feb. 15 / Trend H. Hasanov /
The Turkmen president will take office for five years on Feb. 17, an official Turkmen source said today.
Before the ceremony, CEC Chairman Orazmurad Niyazlyev will announce the final data on the presidential elections held on Sunday.
The issue at hand is the extension of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's powers, who gained 97.14 percent of the votes according to the preliminary data published by the CEC on Monday.
Eight candidates took part in the presidential election.
The final counting of votes is carried out these days based on the data obtained from a number of polling stations under the Turkmen diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad, namely,
protocols that are delayed due to time difference.
Berdimuhamedov was born in the Babarap village in Turkmenistan on June 29, 1957.
He is a doctor of medicine. He graduated from the Dental Faculty of the Ashgabat State Medical Institute in 1979.
He was appointed the health minister in 1997. He became the deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers in 2001.
The previous presidential elections were held on February 11, 2007. He gained 89.23 percent that period. The solemn inauguration was held on February 14. Berdimuhamedov was awarded with a presidential certificate and the distinguishing mark in the form of a gold chain with an octagonal emblem.