President approves changes to the laws in connection with grants and NGO activities

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev approved  legislative changes to the laws "On state registration of legal entities and the state register," "On Grants" in the Code of Administrative Offences.

Changes  have a clarifying nature and require mandatory registration of  grants in the relevant executive authority, specifying the time of the grant contract, goals, and amount. The changes also require timely notification of executive authority to change the legal status and activities of the recipient.

In the Code of Administrative Offences, in particular, the amount of  fines for violations in NGO activities, for violations in NGO activities, activities of unregistered NGOs have  been toughened, were introduced toughen rules on the suspension of the registration of NGOs and others in the case of violations of the law.

Legislative changes were adopted by the Parliament on December 17.

NGOs  conducted various actions calling the president not to sign the changes that they believe may complicate their work. Parliament made eight  additions and 50 changes.

The Cabinet of Ministers is in charge to bring  in three months regulations in line with legislative changes, and executive bodies  should  prepare within five months regulations for implementation of laws. —0—