Advertising signs in foreign languages are being dismantled in Baku

Advertising signs written in foreign languages are being removed from commercial facilities in Baku. According to Turan, these measures are being taken by the Azerbaijani State Advertising Agency. Some entrepreneurs stated that they had had such advertising for years and had not received any comments. Now, the advertising signs are being removed without prior warning.

"If we had been told in advance, we would have produced another advertisement. Now our facilities are left without advertising and this is detrimental to business. Tourists come to the country and for this reason some of the advertising signs are in foreign languages," said one of the entrepreneurs. In turn, at the Azerbaijan State Advertising Agency Turan was told that "this is a regular ongoing work."

"According to the legislation, signs cannot be in a foreign language. It is allowed to place a translation of an advertisement in a foreign language after it has already been written in Azerbaijani. At the same time, the size of the text in a foreign language cannot be larger than the Azerbaijani version," the ministry said.

The agency also noted that an investigation is underway against violators of the law, and their advertising installations are being dismantled.