Corrupt silence of �Azersu�

Baku/13.05.19/Turan: The Turan news agency sued Azersu OJSC in connection with the failure to provide a response to the agency"s request for information. According to the Freedom of Information Act, the response must be submitted no later than 7 days after receiving the request. Azersu, like many other structures, grossly violates this requirement of the law. For months the agency is waiting for the requests for information. It took a year and 11 court sessions to get a response from Azersu about the reasons for the high prices of water meters.

The reason for the current request for information was another deviation of Azersu from respond. The prehistory is such that, after a long period and a number of court hearings, Azersu replied on December 11, 2018 to an information request of the agency about the construction of a water supply system in the village of Buzovna of September 19, 2018. However, the answer from Etibar Mammadov, the Deputy Head of Azersu, was incomplete, vague and demanded clarification. In this regard, in early January 2019, the agency sent a letter asking for clarification on a number of issues. There was no answer. On January 29, the article entitled "Pipeline with length 222 years" was published http://www.turan.az/ext/news/2019/1/free/Social/ru/78415.htm . The company did not reacted.

On April 2, the director of the Turan news agency, Mehman Aliyev,a letter sent to the Chairman of Azersu, Gorkmaz Huseynov read: Because of the absence of reaction, a further journalistic investigation will be conducted. In this regard, I ask you to answer the following questions:

1. Can you submit to the agency Turan full documentation of the project for laying water supply and sewage systems in the village of Buzovna with the purpose of its disclosure to the public?

2. What project deadlines were approved (beginning and end) and by whom?

3. Has Azersu OJSC been allocated AZN 122 million according to the project? If they have been issued, why were not they spent? If have not been issued, then why?

4. When will the project be completed?

5. Why was drinking water first provided to residents of illegal construction houses on the territory of the former Buzovna State Farm, country houses of high-ranking officials of the Buzovna coast, and not the native residents of Buzovna with a history of hundreds of years?

6. Is there a project to provide drinking water to Buzovna as part of the "State Program on the Socio-Economic Development of the City of Baku and its Villages in 2011-2013" ​​or the State Program on the Socio-Economic Development of Baku and Suburban Villages in 2014-2016?

On December 7, 2013, under the chair of Ilham Aliyev, a conference was held on the results of the implementation of the State program on the socio-economic development of the city of Baku and its settlements. You said that in August 2013, the Jeyranbatan-Balakhani-Gala trunk pipeline was commissioned, which ensured a steady water supply to all suburbs. However, the example of Buzovna, Mardakan and other villages shows that this is not the case. Why not the reality does does not coincide with your report?

8. How much money was allocated within the framework of the two indicated programs for water supply and sewage and how much was spent?

9. At the conference on December 23, 2013, you reported that the "State program on the socioeconomic development of the city of Baku and its settlements in 2011-2013" ​​achieved 78 percent of the population of Baku and the surrounding villages with uninterrupted drinking water. How should this indicator change because of the implementation of the program of the State Program on the socio-economic development of Baku and suburban settlements in 2014-2016? What is this figure today?

10. Within the framework of both of the above programs, laying of new sewage pipelines was not observed on the territory of the Khazar district, although the work was planned to be allocated funds. Why are the works not performed and where are the funds spent?

An article was attached to the letter. Huseynov did not answer.

The Agency will, try to obtain an answer in the manner prescribed by law, as it sees corruption elements in the company's activities. This is manifested even according to the Anti-Corruption Law: Offenses that create conditions for corruption are the following actions of an official: unreasonably denying individuals or legal entities to provide information to be provided by law or other regulations delays the provision of this information or provides incomplete or distorted information (Article 9.3.8.).

"Recent practice has shown that the courts almost act as lawyers for the defendants: they delay or refuse to answer, they refuse to make decisions against them and to fine the defendants. Under such circumstances, journalists have great difficulty in preparing articles and especially investigative nature. All this happens despite tougher penalties, increasing the amount of fines for not providing a response to information inquiries," noted Mehman Aliyev, the Director of Turan News Agency. -0--