What Does Azeri Trans Accomplish?

Azeri Trans Company appeared in the February report of the Civil Society Kura Staff as a participant in the corruption of the project "Elimination of the earthquake consequences" has become the subject of new revelations, reports azadliqnews.tv. Once again, problems with the legality of this company were discussed, when about 150 worker in Gabala held a protest on March 25. More protesters had been expected, but on the eve of the rally, workers were intimidated and many stayed away from the protest.

The workers demanded salary payment, which they have not received for 5 months. They requested the introduction of an 8-hour workday instead of 12 hours and employment contracts.

Earlier repeated requests by the employees to the Presidential Administration and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security were not answered.

Azeri Trans, which previously belonged to the former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev, now is one of the enterprises of the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) Kamaladdin Heydarov. Unspoken leadership of the company is held by Jabrayil Khanlarov, head of the State Agency for Construction Supervision under MES. The management of the company includes many former employees of the Interior Ministry and the Border Troops, entangled with kinship bonds and other connections.

The company was allocated 70 million manat to restore 800 houses in the Zagatala area which were most damaged by the earthquake. However, monitoring by the Kura Staff and the media determined that only 100 houses were built. For the most part, funds were stolen, transferred to personal accounts, spent on the construction of private villas and a high-rise residential building of MES near the fifth Hospital in Baku. Some of the money went to the improvement of Gabala, which is called a domain of Heydarov, the Minister of Emergency Situations. Managers of the company drive expensive cars, including Range-Rover, BMW X5, etc.

The situation is similar to other companies that have received state funds that were allocated without tenders. They were to mitigate the consequences of the earthquake in May last year in Zagatala and Gakh. 340 million manat was allocated for the construction of 3500 houses and repairs to an equal number of houses and social facilities. The money was wasted, and the work has not been completed.

Although 3000 houses require repair in Balaken, no funding has been allocated. The situation with Azeri Trans is not unique to the "empire" of Heydarov. According to reports, on March 11 in Gabala, Gilan Holding workers demanded wage increase of 12 to 15 manats per workday, and labor contracts. The management team, to appease the disgruntled, paid a monthly salary, but a few days later fired 46 employees who had taken part in the protest. MES is not accustomed to opposition. -0 -