Ignoring the problems will cause new protests

January was marked by social protests: in the shopping center "Bina",  in Ismayilli, Zagatala and other regions of the country. But  the authorities, instead of a dialogue with the public,  have started repression, said Oktay Gyulalyev, Coordinator Staff civil society "Kura" at a press conference  in the office of the "Classical" Popular Front  party.

Referring to events in Ismayilli, Gyulalyev noted that authorities  blame  Tofig Yagublu, the deputy chairman of the "Musavat"  party and Ilgar Mamedov, the head  of the Movement "Republican Alternative" in the involvement  in the rallies. This is done to "present the just indignation of the population"  with social problems as the machinations of the opposition, he said. At the same time, the authorities are conducting mass arrests to intimidate and break the will of people.

If the authorities do not make the right  conclusion, protests  in regions continue. He also demanded the release of all those arrested  for participation in the protests in the shopping center "Bean" and  in the Ismayilli region. 

"Social demands in the Zagatala  region must be met, the authorities need to begin a dialogue with its citizens and  adopt the socio-economic development programs," he said.

During the press conference, Afgan Mukhtarly, a resident of Zagatala, stated about  the unfair distribution of compensation to victims of the earthquake, in spite of 320 million manat allocated for  these purposes. 

According to him, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Emergency Situations  collected form people  application of complaints and promised to solve the problem within a month. 

Mukhtarly noted the need for a sensitive approach to the region, where there is a strong influence of Russia, and reminded the activities of armed groups in the summer there

in 2001.—16C-