In Azerbaijan is the criminal control system, Aslan Ismayilov

The materials of criminal cases and testimonies in the courts of the former employees of the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Communications suggests that in these agencies  functions a criminal system "common fund", i.e. the crime hits the very system of state management of Azerbaijan, said Aslan Ismayilov, the head of the law firm "Visa" in an interview with the program Cətin Sual (Difficult Question.)

According to him, the system of "common fund" and employee benefits in the "envelopes" exists in all other government departments. This system is used to create a "mutual responsibility", so that no one could stand against corrupt and criminal system.

According to the statements and testimony of the arrested employees of the MNS and the Ministry of Communications, the former heads of departments - Eldar Mahmudov and Ali Abbasov were also involved in illegal activities.

Can they be arrested? Ismayilov doubts it. "If they are arrested, the entire Cabinet should be arrested. In this case, it will turn out that they transferred the money to the top," said the lawyer. Thus, the current Deputy Minister of Communications Iltimas Mamedov admits that he received 30,000 manats monthly from the "common pot". "These people even consider it normal and calmly speak the criminal jargon. Under the presidency  of Heydar Aliyev for such things  officials would  be jailed," said Ismailov.

If the government is really fighting against corruption, that such officials should be arrested immediately. However, they will soon give evidence about those whom  they passed money. According to Ismayilov, in Azerbaijan the official can only be arrested in the case if  he appropriated the money  of the "common pot." "Then I it comes out that the  saying  among people "you can be protected  after treason, but you will never be protected if you  betray the  "common fund", said Ismailov.

According to him, the funds to the "common pot" come from the following sources:  theft from the state budget; funds  cut from public procurement; bribes from the appointments on "lucrative" positions (the amount varies from 50,000manat  up to 1 million manat.

Corrupt officials have a monthly illegal income of tens of thousands, and the ministers - hundreds of thousand manats. At the same time, the Ministry of Finance cannot allocate money to pay 11.000  manats to the families of martyrs who died in 1992. According to Ismayilov, the state itself was on the verge of bankruptcy, and soon it will not have  money to pay out  wages.

The way out of the situation is a change of government, and bringing  a young staff management, capable to make reforms. The country is moving towards a disaster,  and  only joint efforts of government and society can save it, the lawyer said. "The revolutionary path is not acceptable, but the corrupt officials plunder  so much that they can start a civil war, worse than in Syria," said Ismailov. -03B06-