Rovshan Agayev: No Transparent, Accountable Management in Baku

Baku / 09.11.19 / Turan: It is unlikely that the existing management system of Baku can be considered satisfactory. It is difficult to find in international practice, and even in post-Soviet countries, such a centralized form of government in the capital, based on the will of one person and through an official appointed by him. This opinion was expressed in an interview with the Azerbaijani Voice of America service by expert economist Rovshan Agayev.

In the member states of the Council of Europe, capitals are governed by councils formed on the basis of the will of the citizens and by elected mayors.

In this regard, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe in 2003 and 2016. presented to Azerbaijan recommendations regarding the special approach to the management of the capital.

And indeed, Baku is a macro organism with many districts and settlements. Although each of them has certain specific problems, they also form a single system of the capital.

From this point of view, the Council of Europe proposed the creation of an elected institution in which the voices of citizens would be heard and the city authorities would be accountable to them.

According to the expert, the current Executive Power of Baku is a closed non-transparent structure.

In conditions of transparency, it is hardly possible to talk about the effectiveness of managing property and financial resources in a 3-million megalopolis.

Agayev also commented on the reasons for the excessive density of resettlement of residents and buildings in Baku. He explained this by socio-economic reasons.

A large influx of oil revenues in the 2000s further increased the imbalance between the capital and the periphery, and led to mass migration to Baku.

“Judging by the experience of a number of countries, it can be noted that urbanization did not occur due to the expansion of one city, but of different cities. For example, this is how the process of urbanization in Turkey develops. With this option, urbanization becomes cost effective. But, unfortunately, Baku, together with the Absheron Peninsula, geographically occupying only 5% of the territory of Azerbaijan and spreading over an area of ​​only 2,000 square kilometers, concentrates on itself about a third of the country's population. The main reason for such a high population density is the centralization of money, capital, income generation opportunities and access to social development in Baku,” the expert continued.

Are there enough budgetary funds to manage the infrastructure and solve the problems of the city?

Answering this question, the expert said: “As we have already noted, Baku lacks transparency and accountability. One of the most obvious examples of this is its use of the budget. For example, a budget debate is taking place in Tbilisi or Istanbul these days. Every citizen knows what will be the income and expenses of his capital. But, even the most informed expert or journalist in our country has no idea about the budget of Baku. Why? Because Baku is not governed by an elected body. Of course, money is spent on Baku. The budget has a current and investment part. But you cannot specify the source, or I, as a budget researcher for many years, cannot name the source where the current and investment parts of the Baku budget would be separately indicated. And again we come to the fact that Baku should be managed collectively, so that citizens can be heard, and there would be transparency. Let the citizen see how the capital’s budget is created and where it is spent.”  —03B06-