Is business free in Azerbaijan?

Azerbaijan on the results of joint research of the American The Heritage Foundation and the newspaper The Wall Street Journal Susceptibility Index of Economic Freedom 2014 (Index of Economic Freedom 2014 ) took place 81 to 61 3 points out of 178 countries (last year the country was on the site of 87 185 59.7 points). Better position to become the country's fiscal freedom - Business registration in the Ministry of taxes under the " single window" and their statements in virtual mode provided Azerbaijan 88.1 out of a maximum 100 points ( previous year this item was 24 points).

As he said in an interview with Turan the chairman of the Center for Support to Economic Initiatives Azer Mehdiyev , reason formal improvement of products to be found in the methodology of calculation. First , the customer in order to objectivity ( not to spoil relations ) refers to voluntary associations , recommended by the local government , and ultimately receives formal indicators . Also, take into account a number of nuances , speaking in favor of political power - so , the President conducts a quarterly meeting of the Cabinet, in which he talks about the need to fight corruption , that he personally is in charge of transformation and interested in their effectiveness.

President signs decrees and orders , the government makes decisions exempting certain business entities ( parks, for example, or private preschools ) from taxes for a period of 7 or even 10 years - and it's obviously taken into account when scoring . But no one takes into account that the tax authorities immediately after the presidential election firmly "planted" local businessmen regardless of ownership, on a percentage of revenue, and they were otherwise threatened closure, financial sanctions and so on.

Reporters do not care about how many individuals and entities compelled to curtail the activities of the absence of conditions for development, despite the fact that only in 2012-2013 on the principle of "single window" 145 247 taxpayers were registered. Nobody counts the economic damage caused by activities of appraisers at banks and other financial organizations underestimate the real value of collateral , resulting in an entrepreneur is a deplorable situation , faced with bankruptcy and loses over the years acquired the property.

The arithmetic mean of the number of ranking points counting cannot be the basis for improving the country's position in the Index of Economic Freedom 2014 - expert believes. So, along with a formal environment improving fiscal situation worsened with the rights owners and anti-corruption - last year was 25 and 24 points, in this - respectively, 20 and 22.7. "I believe that these two positions are far more important for the vision of economic freedom. Parliament recently sent to the president for his signature legislative infringement of the rights and freedoms of non-governmental organizations, which will open for officials not only loophole, but a direct route to corruption at all levels of power. Civil society, which is not considered a public servant , forced to sit back and watch as his plunder " - rightly believes Mehdiyev.

According to the Doctor of Economics Gubad Ibadoglu, political " monologue " of the authorities and their legislative pressure on non-governmental organizations , as well as decisions that are inconsistent with its obligations to international organizations - the result of the priority of oil and gas contracts to Western countries. "Issues of strategic character, including fuel, security cannot be separated from the solution of problems of democracy in countries that are strategic partners. So that the Index Sponsor should define who we are to them - friends and strategic partners or only transport corridor and supplier of hydrocarbons," concluded the scientist. - 17D-