Politicians and Experts about Business of Aliyev Family

Information on the illegal business of the family Ilham Aliyev in offshore areas is not new, said the head of the Centre for Research East-West, Arastun Orujlu.

There have long been published documents and investigative reports testifying about the business activities of the members of the family and the President's entourage.

"New in this case is the documented confirmation of the presence of a business entity owned by the President himself," said Orujlu.

He believes that these documents have not surfaced just by accident. "This is a response from the West to the threats from official Baku," said Orujlu.

After the Azerbaijani authorities launched a campaign against the National Democratic Institute (NDI) of the United States, one would expect a response from the West. Thus, Baku’s attempts to compromise NDI, and efforts to force the arrested activists to testify against this organization, were unlikely to result in no response, he said.

The declassified facts will be subject to the most serious discussions in the community.

Most of the population earns 200-300 manats a month and now they see how the ruling regime plunders the national wealth.

Orujlu did not rule out that these documents will be the subject of an international criminal investigation. The U.S. court has the authority to investigate corruption in relation to any company in the world.

The head of the political movement EL Eldar Namazov believes that President Ilham Aliyev should  clarify the disclosed facts.

This is necessary because these documents and others investigated by the journalists prove the existence of illegal business. State officials are prohibited to engage in business, not to mention corruption. Therefore, all the people mentioned in the study must make a public clarification.

Statistics show, viewing of the materials on this topic, is hundreds of times higher than the viewings of conventional materials, which suggests an increased public interest in the documents.

The absence of a public explanation will be regarded as recognition of the validity and fairness of the charges, said Namazov.

Previously, after the promulgation of the above facts, the head of the press service of the President of Azerbaijan, Azer Gasimov said that the President's daughters can do business.

"Like other citizens of Azerbaijan they can do business. The law gives them the opportunity. This is nothing unusual," said Gasimov to BBC.

The Director of the Media Rights Institute Rashid Hajily, commenting the words of Azer Gasimov for Turan, noted that members of the President's family can do business. However, they have to declare their sources of income. In addition, it is necessary to clarify how transparent this business is. The society will be looking for answers to these questions.

The leader of the party Musavat Isa Gambar said that in an article in The Gardian and other reports, the names of many of the corrupt officials appear . The Aliyev regime does not comply with the international standards in the field of democracy, or with obligations to international organizations, which increases the protest movement, strengthening the democratic forces in Azerbaijan.

"This is not the first information about corruption in the Aliyev regime. Earlier, there was an article about the Dubai villas of the Aliyev family.” Musavat demanded a report from the Head of State. The new article confirms these issues.

"We will once again offer the democratic public to demand the resignation of President Ilham Aliyev," Gambar said. -03/16/06V-