Lawyer: access to the sea should not be closed

Baku / 17.07.19 / Turan: The State Committee for Property Affairs of Azerbaijan has created monitoring groups in order to strengthen control over the use of land located on the Caspian coast 20-50 meters from the sea.

In particular, the monitoring covered the coast in the territory of Garadagh, Khazar, Surakhani, Binagadi districts of Baku and the city of Sumgayit.

The monitoring revealed facts of illegal use of land on the coastal line.

On the facts of illegal use of land on the coastal of the Caspian Sea, protocols were drawn up under the Article 248 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

For violation of the requirements of the law in the use of the 20-50-meter coastal line, individuals, officials and legal entities are fined in the amount of 4 thousand, 8 thousand, and 40 thousand manats.

Moreover, if there are signs of criminal acts in the actions of officials, they face a penalty of imprisonment of seven to ten years.

In 80 cases of illegal use of the coastal line, protocols on administrative offenses were drawn up.

On 76 facts of illegal seizure of plots on the seashore, materials are collected under the Article 188 of the Criminal Code and the cases are directed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In 39 cases, lawsuits were filed. In some cases, illegal use of the coastal strip deprives the population of the opportunity to rest on the seashore.

It is also indicated that the fencing with the permission of the relevant authorities should be lattice and not exceed 200 meters. At the same time after every 200 meters there should be a six-meter strip for entry and exit.

In turn, experts and users of social networks periodically post videos and photos about villas on the Caspian coast, surrounded by high stone fences.

In some cases, high fences are erected, even at a certain distance into the sea.

A lawyer Aslan Ismailov describes the situation as depressing.

"Earlier, the legislation indicated that the coastal line cannot be used at a distance of 120 meters from the sea. Then the oligarchs intervened in this case and the distance was reduced to 50 meters. Today, the coast on Absheron is almost completely captured, and citizens have no where to rest. There are villas of 5 hectares, surrounded by 5 meter fences. At the same time, the villa owners do not bathe in the sea in Azerbaijan, relax on the beaches of Italy, Spain, etc.," said Ismailov.

On the other hand, part of the coast is captured by paid beaches.

There are no fences around the sea anywhere in the world, Ismailov noted.

He expressed bewilderment also by the permission of the legislation of some 200-meter zones that may be closed.

"When they talk about enclosures, they mean draw up existing enclosed areas. The coast of the sea should not be limited to anything," Ismayilov said.-03B-