Farhad Ahmedov wants to help the country, and not become a deputy

An article by Sergei Fesenko from “Echo” of Moscow is reprinted in the Russian media: "Who sees the hand of Moscow?" The essence of the publication is reflected in the subtitle: “In anticipation of the parliamentary elections, voters in Azerbaijan began to scare “newcomers”.

By aliens, the author ironically means the Russian billionaire Farhad Ahmedov, whose two Facebook posts became the cause of critical articles in some Azerbaijani sites. The general idea of ​​the critics was the idea thrown by critics about Ahmedov’s intention to spend his millions on interference in the extraordinary parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.

“Several large information portals at once, 1News, Minval and others came out with essentially identical articles, “exposing” Russian ex-senator and billionaire Farhad Ahmedov, who is allegedly trying to invade the political space of Azerbaijan. Thanks to this free PR, thousands of Azerbaijanis read Ahmedov’s post “On the Benefits of the Opposition” posted on his personal Facebook page: it was this message that the authors of the article saw the sinister “hand of Moscow”. And as a result, the private opinion expressed in the social network has become a litmus test showing everything in the appropriate color on the Azerbaijani political scene,” Fesenko explains.

On the map of “Indices of Freedom of Speech,” compiled by the international human rights organization “Reporters without Borders,” Azerbaijan is blacked out. Of the other republics of the former USSR, only Turkmenistan was awarded the same “honor”. Azerbaijan ranks 166th  among 180, slightly ahead of North Korea, Yemen, Sudan ... It is not surprising therefore that the opinion expressed by Ahmedov on the social network about the need for the appearance in Azerbaijan is not radical, but, as they say, a constructive opposition local officials seem to have a real panic,” Fesenko writes.

The court “political scientists” from Baku explained the appearance of the “lengthy opus” on Facebook of Farhad Ahmedov by the intention to bring “their people” to the Milli Majlis and break through to the heights of the Azerbaijani authorities. The phrase “lengthy opus”, apparently, was contained in the “terms of reference”, because it appears in that and in another article,” said the author of Echo of Moscow. At the same time, he emphasizes that the vast majority of commentators supported the position of Farhad Ahmedov.

On December 17, Farhad Ahmedov posted a third article on his web page, in which he clarifies his position and answers critics. Fending off claims by Baku authors about Ahmedov’s intention to pump money out of Azerbaijan by somehow entering the parliament (which is impossible, since Ahmedov is a Russian citizen - K.A.), Ahmedov says that he wrote an article while in his yacht, which is moored in UAE, where he and his family are resting now. He reports that he is the largest non-oil, private investor in the economy of Azerbaijan ($ 200 million invested in tourism and agriculture).

Why then did he “suddenly” write a letter about the opposition? “Because I can’t be silent when I see that problems are growing. That the gap created by the “gray cardinals” between the President and his people can develop into an alienation. If you do not plan and carry out such reforms from above that will bridge this gap, reforms will begin from below. This is the law of history.

I believe that since I have business and political experience, there is an understanding of how to get out of the crisis, it is my patriot duty to help guide the country on the right track. No need to look for a double bottom here or someone else's hand that leads me. This is my own decision. Nobody forces me to do this, and I don’t want to buy anything,” Ahmedov writes.

He returns a reproach of non-patriotism to his critics saying that the money that Ahmedov earned abroad he invested in Azerbaijan, while many people in Azerbaijan have “grabbed” billions of budget money, stealing in the holy deed - in defense countries, and then placed their money on foreign accounts.

Ahmedov is surprised that this money does not return in the country. May be they think that nothing is known about their accounts. To block money and assets stolen from the country scattered around the world is an easy and even good thing. This process, as is well known, has already begun in the UK, where “Inquiries about the unclear origin of the condition” are sent out.

Returning to the burning topic of the parliamentary elections, Ahmedov points out that “the previous Milli Majlis was not very effective in lawmaking. I am sure that during the period of fundamental reforms, we need not a “printer”, without reflection and discussion, “typing” laws, but a team of professional legislators. ”

Ahmedov sent several letters to the president on major economic, social and even personnel issues, but did not report if there was a reaction to these letters. Did he get any answers?

In the section Power and Society, Ahmedov says that the main task facing Azerbaijan today is to bridge the gap between power and society. “When all decisions without exception are made by one person, this places a tremendous responsibility on him .... However, decision-making by one person has other side - people no longer feel their responsibility for what is happening in the country. The people voted for the President, and his role has been exhausted; as if now only the leader thinks and bears responsibility. Let the President come up with reforms, return Karabakh, and we will observe aside. At the same time, the President’s positions are objectively weakening; he does not receive reinforcements from his people.

There is one more important thing: the country needs the most legitimate parliament, competitively elected, in order to equalize with Armenia in the perception of the West. Without the legitimacy of the recent elections recognized by all, present-day Yerevan could not afford such impudent statements. “The last long failed negotiations in Bratislava should sober up and unite ALL,” Ahmedov emphasizes.

In a polemic with Baku critics, Ahmedov actually repeats quotes from the media he named, saying that he does not consider the current opposition to be opposition. “The country has begun transformations, and they are calling people to the street. Why are they calling? After all, they have no leaders, no program, no constructive ideas, and no ideological platform. There is nothing but the desire to smash everything to the last brick. ”

After this passage, Ahmedov returns to the camp of oppositionists unrecognized by him when he repeats the rally demands of the Azerbaijani opposition and indicates that the best recipe for the country is a market economy, coupled with democracy, civil society, the rule of law, protection of private property, free elections.

“This is the most reliable and stable configuration, the best guarantee against upheavals and upheavals. If we now miss the opportunity to reform the country, it will eventually lose; lose not even Armenia, but the whole world, being at its margins. It can happen quickly. Let us recall Syria, where Assad Sr. came to power in the same year as Aliyev Sr., and Assad Jr. - with Aliyev Jr. There is still the problem of the occupied Golan Heights. I really want to be able to avoid such a scenario when society is in a hurry and is pushing extremists out of its ranks, and the government, on the contrary, is lagging behind. "

The billionaire’s article concludes with the dream that his third son, whose birth they are waiting for, could live in prosperous Azerbaijan, a country that would restore its unity, would become the leader of the region, a beacon for neighboring countries.

It should be noted that on December 17, an interview with another Russian billionaire, Fizuli Mammadov, who also does not intend to become a deputy of the Milli Majlis, was published in Ednews, info, but expressed his ideas about the reforms in Azerbaijan.

“One of the most important tasks of a deputy can be to strive for the realization of the idea that “citizens are the source of power,” as stated in the Constitution. Forms of citizen participation in the political life of our state should be expanded, and the development of civil society should be encouraged. Measures should be taken to strengthen public control over executive bodies, and a Public Council under the President should be created. It is necessary to improve legislation that stimulates the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the economic sphere, and ensure antitrust control. Diaspora investments in Azerbaijani economy should be accelerated. An important topic on the agenda is the fight against bribery and the strengthening of public and information control over security services. From the point of view of international relations, economic, political and military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia should be brought to the level of an alliance,” F. Mammadov suggested.

Therefore, the extraordinary parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan stirred up Russian billionaires of Azerbaijani origin. They actively, to the extent of Russian laws, “interfere in the internal affairs of the Motherland”, which is accepted by organized critics in the Azerbaijani media as direct, without quotation marks, interference. The story of the fear of the intra-Azerbaijani elite repeating in the past years the myth of the club of Azerbaijani billionaires, led by former government official Abbas Abbasov, repeats itself. As you know, the myth burst, there was not club.