Increase of salaries, propaganda of the authorities

Baku / 14.03.18 / Turan: The Azerbaijani Movement for Democracy and Prosperity (AMDP) has criticized the decrees issued by President Ilham Aliyev in recent weeks on the increase of salaries. The statement of the AMDP called these measures part of the propaganda within the framework of the presidential election campaign on April 11, and regarded as an abuse and gross violation of international standards on equal and fair election conditions. The AMDP required transparency and accountability for financing election campaigns, stopping the use of public funds and administrative resources in favor of one candidate.

Thus, the incumbent head of state, after the start of the election campaign, signed more than 20 orders to raise the salaries of various categories of employees by 10%, 400 million manats are allocated for this purpose. "Raises cover about 2 million voters, that is 40% of voters," the statement said.

The AMDP supports the advisability of strengthening the social protection of the population, but it is unacceptable to use this as a means of propaganda in favor of a presidential candidate, the statement said. The electoral headquarters of Ilham Aliyev has not yet reacted to this statement. -03D-