Arastun Orujlu: How did Ali Huseynli spend grant amounting $1,5 million?

Azerbaijani government intends to further tighten control in the sphere of NGOs and set restrictions on foreign donors. According to the head of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy and State Building Ali Huseynli, donors should fund "necessary" projects.

According to him, "sometimes as a result of unnecessary projects  some terrorist organizations  are formed."Therefore, " it is  to specify in advance  the necessity of the  project in terms of its ideas."

He believes  that in certain areas, for example, in ecology, culture,  and legal reforms  there are enough public resources, and there is no need  in foreign donors. Huseynli does not need donors in the fight against corruption. "After establishing coming “ASAN” and other projects we do not need donors, and they do not need us. If they have any new ideas, we are ready to listen to them. But at this stage there is no such idea. There are some areas in which they can cooperate. For example, on the issue of refugees," said Huseynli in an interview with local media.

Generally, foreign donors are needed only in a transitional period. Azerbaijan has passed it, and now  Azerbaijan is included into the list of investors Huseynli said.

Now comes  a new phase of Azerbaijan’s cooperation with international NGOs, said Huseynli.

Commenting on these remarks, the head of the Research Center "East-West" Arastun Orujlu called them "the next, the final stage of the tightening the legislation." The purpose of this policy is to stifle completely civil society and NGOs, giving it legitimacy.

"In a democratic world such laws are impossible. Any normal power, even very rich, seeks to at least two things: to enlighten public and attract investments. Therefore, it's not necessary to speak about a healthy way of thinking.

At the same time, official Baku does not cease to speak about integration  into Europe and the civilized world. This position involves the integration into the international community, and not isolation from it. Now the Azerbaijani authorities simply copy the policy of Russia, actively using the experience of the reaction of Moscow ," said Orujlu.

Finally, he appealed to Ali Huseynli with the rhetorical question: “The public would like to know  where  is the grant  for half a million dollars, which  got a Bar Association led  by him? If to get foreign grants is so bad, why  he so actively  tried to  get that grant from USAID?” -02/06B-