If Authorities Want Public Control, They Should Not Stifle Criticism - Bakhtiyar Hajiyev

Baku/10.02.21/Turan: In Azerbaijan in the past 5-10 years, there is no environment for effective public control. Serious obstacles have been created for the activities of NGOs, civil society activists, independent media called upon to exercise public control. Public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev expressed this opinion in an interview with the Azerbaijani service of the Voice of America.

In his opinion, traditional media have lost their functions of influencing government policy and have themselves come under their control. As for independent NGOs, many of them, under pressure from the authorities, froze their activities, while others left the country.

Today, the only means of effective public control are social networks. Recently, however, both in parliament and from representatives of the executive branch proposals have been made about the need to take control of social networks.

In particular, it is proposed to register in social networks using identity cards. Thus, the government demonstrates its intention to close the last window for public control, Hajiyev said.

What should be the social control in a democratic state?

Answering this question, he pointed out that the media fulfills its mission independently, objectively covering events, draws attention to the problems of concern to society.

Along with their specialized activities, NGOs also fulfill the mission of public control over the authorities. The harmonious interaction of these institutions ensures effective public control.

That is, independent media, social networks, citizens, civil society activists, NGOs exercise public control together and smoothly, he said.

  How does the government react to the facts revealed by bloggers of luxury villas, large cash balances and other wealth of high-ranking officials?

   Answering this question, Hajiyev said that despite the statements of the head of state about the authorities' interest in public control, there should be no reaction to the revealed facts. Although, in any democratic state, illegal income, even from a lower-ranking official, leads to resignation and puts an end to a political career.

If the authorities in Azerbaijan are sincerely interested in public control, then they must put an end to pressure on independent media and NGOs, and political repression.

“On the one hand, it is said at a high level about the need for public control, coverage of problems, that the country's leadership was aware of what was happening, and on the other hand, repressions are being conducted against those who voice and identify problems - the media, NGOs or just citizens. If this is the case, then what kind of public control can we talk about,” Hajiyev summed up. —063B06-