A scandalous businesswoman without an oligarch dad

Over 20 years of active business, Nigar Kocharli has created a network of 10 bookstores and promises to open two more. “Ali & Nino” stores are known everywhere in Azerbaijan, but not only for the books of local and foreign production sold in them, but also for the active public position of the owner - Nigar Kocharli. The energy of this businesswoman causes periodic scandals. The latter has successfully completed this week: the Ministry of Culture, after a difficult conversation and the intervention of Turan, allowed N. Kocharli and her partner, book publisher Shahbaz Khuduoglu, to exhibit a mobile book kiosk on wheels at the 9th Book International Exhibition (Baku).  

- Why do you have so many conflicts? This is the first question Turan asked the creator and director of “Ali & Nino” Nigar Kocharli.

- According to the rules of the Book Exhibition, each participant is entitled to 6 square meters of space for free, the rest of the area is paid by the participants.  And they refused to provide us with free space. The organizer of the international book exhibition - the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan said: “It's free for everyone, but not for you. After our indignation and a difficult conversation, we were allowed. It was also with our desire to put a Book kiosk on wheels in the parking lot of the same exhibition. Difficult negotiations had to be conducted again. Thank you, the press got involved, Turan, and the Ministry of Culture allowed us to demonstrate our Kiosk on wheels at the exhibition.

Why is this attitude towards us? The Ministry of Culture invites all other companies to participate in the book exhibition, but they forget about us.  “Ali & Nino” and the “Qanun” publishing house were invited last of all, they gave a place away, in the corner of the exhibition pavilion, although I and the owner of the “Qanun” publishing house Shahbaz Khuduoglu paid 12 thousand manats for 80 square meters of space for two people - according to the law, by transfer. I think it's a lot, but okay, we're going there to trade.

We were invited to the exhibition at the very last turn, when there were no seats left.  We do not suffer because of the terrible place allocated to our stand somewhere in the corner, because we know that where “Ali & Nino” and “Qanun” are, there is a revival, buyers always come, we have a sincere attitude to readers. Even if we were allocated a place for a stand in the toilet.

- Maybe the reason is in your character?

- I think that the departments don't like my independence, we just annoy them. I don't pay bribes, I don't kiss hands, I don't sit where they point my finger at me. I have always protected my independence, for me it is above all, I depend only on book lovers, it is important to me that they read, this is my life's work. Therefore, all 20 years of my book activity are accompanied by some scandals. It makes me uncomfortable, I feel uncomfortable, but this is my character, I never keep silent when there is injustice.  I always want to resolve disputes in a soft way, but what can I do...

We are completely independent book publishers. I have achieved everything without an oligarch dad and great connections, only with hard daily work and thanks to my team.  It is difficult to do business in Azerbaijan, it is doubly difficult to do book business and it is three times difficult for a woman to do business.  But I have achieved a lot, and I am proud of it.

- For you, the relevant state department is the Ministry of Culture. Do they help you a lot?

- The Ministry of Culture could explain about the obstacles that the director of the House of Culture in the village of Fatmai tried to fix for us when I and Sh.Khuduoglu was brought there by a bookstall on wheels. We took out a loan from a bank, bought a used car, paid for the conversion of an old van to make a bookstall out of it and drive it around settlements where there are no bookstores. This is a social project, it is impossible to make money on it, since we sell books at discounted prices. We want to attract people to reading books. Instead of helping us, a representative of the Ministry of Culture in the village of Fatmai demanded some kind of permission from us to sell books.  So far, the Ministry of Culture has not explained about this incident, although it could have stated that the director of the exhibition was wrong.  They are silent, as if this is how it should be. 

The Ministry of Culture has a special attitude towards Ali & Nino, it is unclear why. I have never taken money from the state in my life, we are developing ourselves step by step. We are not invited to events, not once. I'm even glad about it, because I'll come to an event with book publishers and sellers, tell them what I think, and I'll feel bad. So it's good if they don't invite you.

It makes me smile when I hear the assurances of the Minister of Culture that they plan to organize such and such things. How do they intend to work, ignoring the oldest company in the book business – “Ali & Nino”? I am invited to foreign book exhibitions, the organizers pay for travel and accommodation in another country, for an exhibition place. Abroad, I feel like a worthy member of society, respect for us.  And the native Ministry of Culture does not see us point-blank.

In our country, publishers are treated as half-crazy, as marginals, as if we earn money from books, and therefore we need to take money from us. I am disappointed with the zero attitude of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan towards us and the book business.   A lot is said in words, but in reality I don't see anything. I don't understand why this ministry is needed.

In 2007, N. Kocharli reported on the smuggling into Azerbaijan of the popular English book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". She suggested that this book, displayed on the shelves of Baku, was most likely published in the country in a pirated way.

In 2015, the owner of “Ali & Nino” told the press that one writer threatened to set fire to the company's warehouse together with the people working there. "Our employees have been threatened with physical violence more than once. You can't imagine how we are being pressured and simply insulted — accusations of  absence of patriotism are being made against us, and some even call us "foreign saboteurs sponsored by foreign forces in order to undermine the foundations of Azerbaijani literature."

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In 2016, Nigar Kocharli accused the Nasimi district Police Department of unwillingness to find robbers who stole the property of “Ali & Nino.” Then she accused the head of the Department of rudeness, turning to the society for protection from police rudeness.

In 2018, Nigar Kocharli issued a statement condemning the LIBRAFF bookstore chain for suppressing her company's business.

In 2018, Nigar Kocharli made loud accusations on social networks against  Taleh Heydarov, the son of the Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaleddin Heydarov. In an open letter to the Minister, Kocharly stated that Taleh Heydarov was trying to take away her business.

In 2022, she said on her Facebook page: "There is a law, but only on paper. As you know, since January 2022, VAT on the sale and import of books has been abolished in Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, the law is not being enforced."

In January 2023, Nigar Kocharli managed to get customs permission to import foreign books about Renaissance artists after the scandal was reported by the press.