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Anyone thought to be using the internet in Turkmenistan is under surveillance, and web traffic was being 'carefully filtered'. Nevertheless, a specialist with Turkmentelekom, the state monopoly provider, says the number of applicants for a connection is 'growing steadily'. In the capital Ashgabat, more than six thousand applications were received. He added that each application is scrutinized on an individual basis. The article implies that Internet restrictions are linked to the weak power of the new president Berdymuhammedov. Despite president’s repeated emphasis on improving access to the internet, and orders for all new buildings to be fitted with modern multimedia technology, with the internet to be available even in kindergartens, things have recently deteriorated, with more sites blocked than usual and service generally slower. Users found they were unable to access any of the popular Central Asian or foreign websites. As a result, ten or so new internet cafes opened around the country, but few people used them as they cost a lot by local standards, and ID has to be shown to use them. One of these issues is being addressed – from May 1, the hourly fee was cut from 60 to 30 manats (from five to 2.5 US dollars). In late March, Turkmenistan was branded an enemy of the internet by the international watchdog Reporters Without Borders. Source: IWPR, 05/08/08 Link to article:http://www.iwpr.net/?p=btm&s=b&o=344529&apc_state=henb