Experts and politicians about permutations in the presidential administration

The leaders of several parties and experts commenting for Turan yesterday's high-profile appointment in the President Administration agreed that this is a harbinger of future changes in the government and an attempt to keep the stability of the regime against the possible resignation from the post of Ramiz Mehdiyev, who is already 74 years old.

Thus, the leader of the Democratic Party Sardar Jalaloglu believes that the appointment of 4 deputies to Mehdiyev is evidence of the desire to retain the status quo in the event of unforeseen circumstances or Mehdiyev’s soft resignation.

In any case, the appointment does not serve democratic reforms or changes. On the contrary, he did not rule out that in some ways there maybe even further tightening of the screws.

The Open Society Party leader Sulhaddin Akbar believes that the appointment is a harbinger of serious permutations that still lie ahead in the presidential administration. He also noted that the appointments indicate the weakening of the position of the chief ideologue - Ali Hasanov, who automatically goes to the second echelon in the presidential administration.

The head of the Center for Research East-West Arastun Orujlu noticed that the appointments followed immediately after the telephone conversation between Aliyev and Putin. The expert said that President Saakashvili also said that advice used to come from Putin to appoint certain people to key positions.

Orujlu does not believe that Aliyev appointed staff advised by Putin. Rather, it was the opposite.

Orujlu believes these appointments weaken Ramiz Mehdiyev, whose powers are now redistributed between 4 substitutes, and he is preparing for retirement.

As for Maharram Aliyev, regardless of his position, "he is a very powerful man."

Orujlu also drew attention to the personnel changes in the structure of the Interior Ministry, where the heads of three departments changed. He said the transfer of the chief of the National Bureau of Interpol Sahib Mirzoyev to the head of Sumgayit City Police is of particular interest.

Sources close to the presidential administration and the government confirmed for the agency Turan that the resignation of Ramiz Mehdiyev is being prepared, and two people are candidates to the office - Zeinal Nagdaliyev and Fuad Alasgarov - the head of department on work with law enforcement agencies of the presidential administration.

In turn, one of the new deputy chiefs of the Presidential Administration - Ali Assadov should take the post of prime minister, after the departure of Arthur Rasizadeh. -02/05/06V-