How public councils work. 'Get a manat, we do not receive funds from the ministry'

MP Etibar Aliyev, who resigned from the Public Council under the Ministry of Science and Education, expressed concern about the lack of independence of the organization, saying that it is under the influence of Minister Emin Amrullayev. Aliyev said that his personal correspondence with the minister was made public before the meeting of the public council. Despite his offer to consider this issue during the meeting, it was not included in the agenda

Experts share the opinion that public councils in Azerbaijan, which are called to perform a supervisory role, are subordinate to the institutions with which they are associated, which contradicts the "Law on Public Participation".

The chairman of the public council under the Ministry of Education, Gunel Safarova, in an interview with Turan, expressed surprise at the statements of Etibar Aliyev, noting that he had been a member of the organization for more than three years. Safarova asked why he was a member of the council during this period if he found its activities unsatisfactory. She rejected the Minister's claim that they should act under his influence, saying that the Minister does not even have the contact information of the council members.

Safarova believes that when evaluating the activities of public councils, it is important to take into account both the provisions of legislation and the reality of the situation. She stressed the need for legislative regulation of the financial aspects of the activities of public councils so that institutions could function more efficiently. Safarova wondered how an unfunded body could hold public hearings, but acknowledged their efforts to attract business structures and use the available opportunities. She clarified that they do not receive any funds from the Ministry, which is contrary to their principles and the law. Thus, she argues that the question of the dependence of the public council on the ministry should not arise.

Hafiz Hasanov, head of the public association "Center for Law and Development", highlighted numerous problems related to the formation and functioning of public councils. He noted that public councils often do not fulfill their purpose and that their activities are more formal. Their reports are not widely distributed, and they do not contain significant proposals, opinions or initiatives. According to the legislation, members of the public council are elected for a term of two years, and subsequent elections are held. Hasanov noted that even after repeated elections, the composition of the council remains largely unchanged, sometimes one person represents several public councils.

Hasanov believes that it is necessary to amend the "Law on Public Participation" to exclude the presence of formal institutions in public councils. The control of the executive power over the elections to the councils should be completely removed, and independent representatives of civil society should supervise the electoral process.