Vice Premier Insults Press

The abusive words of Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov against a journalist doing his professional work were another indication of the relationship of state officials to the principles of freedom of the media.

So, on Saturday during an interview with reporters at the burned-out 16-storey building Sharifov was asked which company will carry out work to restore the building.

On this Sharifov said roughly: "What's your deal? Why do you need to know who? For example, Alabala will. We ourselves will decide which company. It does not apply to the press!"

Then, apparently realizing that he had gone too far, Sharifov decided to "correct" and added: "It will be my firm! Write this! "

His irritation was absolutely groundless, because the question was quite reasonable, as citizens need to know which company will repair the building, whether it has the experience, whether it is competent and so forth.

 In general, companies should be selected on a tender basis, and if the government itself chooses the contractor, it shall inform the public.

In any civilized country, an official would have quickly lost the post after words like this. More recently, the Ukrainian oligarch and the governor of Dnepropetrovsk Kolomoisky was fired after insulting a journalist. Such behavior was condemned by the President and Kolomoisky had to leave. In Azerbaijan rudeness against the media has long been the norm.

In all of this, Abid Sharifov could also tell the truth. That is, many government officials, in violation of the law, do business. So, in addition to purely ethical aspects, there is a factor of personal interests of the government official. -06D-