Jamil Hasanli: the authorities are not ready for dialogue

The regression has been lasting for  the last 10 years.

First of all, the suppression of the opposition is observed, said in an interview with the “Objective TV” the chairman of the  National Council, Jamil Hasanli.  According to him , the government uses all the resources have to weaken the opposition. "However, the authorities are faced with even greater opposition force - the people. We observed it during the election. First Warsaw OSCE Office stated that falsification of the elections totaled 58%. These figures indicate that authorities did not have the support of the people," said Hasanli.  Currently, the opposition parties are working under great pressure,  and "crusade"  was announced against independent NGOs,  and the wave of arrests increases is increasing.

Ten or 15 years ago the authorities punished  the opposition through courts imprisoning them to  one or two years, and  now punishment  has "grown" up to  seven or eight years, he said.

On October 9 last year, there were two ways: the transition to soft democracy or to a soft dictatorship. "Currently there is the possibility of transition to soft to democracy. This requires reform - political, social , administrative, managerial,  and economic. For example, Azerbaijan for accession to the WTO must adopt 300 laws, or change existing laws. However,  even while the three laws are not accepted because authorities have no such desire. Authorities do not want this ,  they are not ready for dialogue," Hasanli said.

Referring to the state of media he said that ITV should represent all parties: government, the opposition and the public. Today ITV is under full control of the authorities. When did representatives of the opposition appear  on these channels?

Real media are "Zerkalo", " Azadlig", which are under the oppression of  the authorities, said Hasanli.  The authorities were unable to provide them with real alternatives, and try to carry out their policies through controlled media structure whose leaders used to be in opposition.

"The country has unlimited corruption reigns, natural resources are  plundered by as small group. The authorities want to create a feudal rule. "Let all be silent, and if someone speak, they are planted drugs and weapons." The authorities believe that people receive support from the West, and only therefore begin to criticize.

"In 2008, after Russia’s invasion to Georgia, the leadership of Azerbaijan has formed the view that Russia has regained its position in the region to for 30 - 50 years. Therefore,  then  many officials returned their children from America and Europe, where they studied. All of this is an inferiority complex," considers Hasanli.

West wants free elections, but "Yeni Azerbaijan" party does not want it. The West wants to see Azerbaijan without political prisoners, and the authorities imprison all who begins to speak. The West wants citizens to receive income from minerals, but none of this. "As long as there is not free, fair, democratic society in Azerbaijan, a group of reactionaries which seized power always will  be against the West," said Jamil Hasanli. -03B04-