Turkmenistan will spend nearly 4,5 billion euros to build a city named after strongman Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, officials said Wednesday. The isolated Central Asian country bordering the Caspian Sea has been ruled by the Berdimuhamedov family for more than 16 years.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, a former dentist turned autocrat, officially stepped down as president of the former Soviet republic last year, replaced by his son Serdar Berdimuhamedov. But the 65-year-old, known for his cult of personality, carries the title of "Arkadag" (protector hero) and continues to dominate the country. The new city, 30 kilometers from the capital Ashgabat, will bear his title.

Berdimuhamedov ordered officials to somehow enter him into the Guinness Book of Records. "The first stage of the construction of the city of Arkadag costs 3,3 billion dollars," said Deryageldi Orazov, an official who heads the state committee in charge of its construction. "The second phase will cost about 1,5 billion dollars, according to our estimates.

Orazov said the exact price will be known after the call for tenders, but it already significantly exceeds the $1,5 billion figure announced in February 2020. According to the World Bank, Turkmenistan's GDP is about $45 billion, and much of its wealth derives from its vast gas reserves.

Human rights groups have accused Turkmenistan of spending money from its gas profits on lavish projects that do not benefit the population. Arkadag, which is in the earthquake zone, will eventually have about 73.000 inhabitants. Turkmenistan is one of the most repressive, secretive countries in the world, and little is known about how the regime makes day-to-day decisions.