Macro-fiscal framework and budget policy for 2022: unknowns are increasing instead of decreasing

The weakest aspect of the Tax Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan is its instability (volatility). The frequent changes in legislation (especially tax and customs regulations) are not only characteristic of the Tax Code but also of all normative legal acts in the country. This hinders taxpayers and entrepreneurs from implementing their plans for the future and negatively impacts the volume of domestic investments and the process of attracting foreign investments. Notably, taxpayers have repeatedly witnessed tax privileges and exemptions being granted without specified durations and subsequently revoked unexpectedly. Among the amendments to the Tax Code that will come into effect on January 1, 2025, there are provisions of this nature.

At the end of each year, alongside the budget package, a special legislative package amending the Tax Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and other related normative legal acts (laws, Cabinet of Ministers' regulations, etc.) is submitted to the Milli Majlis (National Assembly). This has become a tradition, and 2024 was no exception in this regard[1].

The expanding scope and geography of the negative impacts of global climate change have increased the need for global collective action. This necessity has called for changes not only in the format but also in the content of discussions held annually by the UN since 1995 at the Conference of the Parties (COP). This article is dedicated to one of the main topics of recent COP discussions—carbon credit markets—and the agreement reached at COP29.

On October 21, in a tunnel located in the Sabunçu district of Baku, two drivers didn’t drown in rainwater, but rather lost their lives by suffocating in the corruption that pervades the sewer system. This incident highlights the inefficiency in the use of funds allocated from the state budget, World Bank loans, and the water payments collected from citizens. This article discusses the corruption pyramid built around the funds allocated to Azersu OJSC before the establishment of the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency, financial aid from the World Bank and other international organizations, as well as fees collected from water consumers, and the mismanagement of Baku city.