NCDF Demands from Government Social Payments to Population for July-August

Baku / 01.08.20 / Turan: The National Council of Democratic (NCDF) of Azerbaijan issued a statement in which it accused the country's authorities of evading social obligations in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

The statement indicates that preventive measures are being taken around the world to save the population from the severe consequences of Covid-19, and social programs are being improved.

In the United States, for example, citizens with an annual income of less than $ 99,000 received assistance in the amount of $ 1,200 for each family member.

Jobseekers receive $ 600 a week.

The US Congress has begun discussions on continuing this assistance.

 Similar measures are being taken in Western European countries.

However, in Azerbaijan the situation on this issue is depressing.

The statement of the head of state on the provision of assistance to 5 million people is declarative, the statement goes on to say.

This is a continuation of many years of far from reality propaganda that the poverty level in the country has been reduced to 5 percent, according to members of the NCDF.

Despite the provision in April-May of aid in the amount of 190 manats to 600 thousand people, in June the number of its recipients was reduced to 287 thousand.

And in July, the distribution of even this meager allowance was suspended, although a strict quarantine regime continued, enterprises were closed, and people did not work.

The government must provide a reasonable explanation for this, the document further says.

The NCDF questions the transparency of the spending of public funds allocated to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic.

 “The country's leadership stated that in connection with the Covid-19 crisis, 3.5 billion manats were allocated. But calculations show that only a small part of this amount was used for its intended purpose.

So, payments of AZN 190 to the unemployed population in April-May amounted to a total of 284 million manats.

In addition, within 3 months 900 thousand employees received social assistance in the amount of a certain part of the salary, although the population in need of assistance is 3-4 times more than this.

 According to independent experts, out of the 1.4 billion manats actually allocated to those affected by the pandemic, only 752 million manats was spent.

Therefore, it is unclear where most of the declared 3.5 billion manats were spent to eliminate the consequences of the pandemic.

“The military rhetoric that has been artificially inflamed in recent days, the persecution of members of the National Council, and repression against members of the Popular Front do not exempt the authorities from responsibility for fulfilling social obligations. 2 million unemployed, hundreds of thousands of people not officially employed, small and medium-sized businesses crushed by the economic and biological crisis, dozens of people working in the service sector are left to fend for themselves,” the NCDF said.

 Families are not given child benefits, even miserable social assistance packages have been suspended, the population has no health insurance, and quarantine continues.

“What should people do? It is impossible to eliminate the social crisis by keeping the population in tension and massive illegal repressions,” the NCDF said.

The authors of the document believe the country has sufficient financial resources to support the population.

In this regard, the NCDF requires the government to pay the population 300 manats each month for July and August, and take measures to restore child benefits. -06B-