Media review - 6 May 2021

MP Vugar Bayramov has criticized the weekend ban on public transportation. His statement was posted on the website Azxaber.com

According to him, there is no scientific study of the effect of limiting public transportation movement on the spread of coronavirus infections anywhere in the world. Therefore, it is advisable to restore the operation of public transport during non-working days.

The website Bizimyolinfo.az brings up the issue of high fees for state services. The author believes that the citizens of Azerbaijan cover the state's administrative costs through taxes, and thus the collection of money under the guise of fees should be stopped.

It is understandable to charge a fee for issuing a new document if a citizen loses one. But, if he changes the document upon expiration, then the fee is unreasonable.

Economist Natig Jafarli says that the fee collection should not be viewed as a means for the government to profit. Some fees in Azerbaijan are excessively high. A citizen pays 40 manats for a passport, and 150 manats are taken for the urgent issuance of a passport.

"Hadrut plan in Lavrov's briefcase", is the title of an article by Modern.az about Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Yerevan. The author believes that the "Hadrut refugees" protest action in front of the Armenian Foreign Ministry on Lavrov's arrival in Yerevan was part of an Armenian-Russian plan.

 Armenians want to return the population to Hadrut and gain an advantage on the issue of Nagorny Karabakh's "status". Russia, on the other hand, has its own objectives.

 Russian Federation intends to send peacekeepers to Hadrut once the Armenians return there. Russia would then gain control of the Jabrayil-Araz, Fizuli and Zangilan-Gubadli regions.  In the aftermath of Armenian forces' withdrawal, Moscow is attempting to gain a strategic advantage in Karabakh.

Moderator.az raises the issue of illegal passenger transportation.  Baku Transport Agency, due to the closure of the underground, is unable to cope with passenger transportation. There are not enough buses and passengers are forced to use the services of private minibuses. Drivers of these cars pay a "tribute" to government officials to be allowed to work. There is no control in this sphere. The underground has been out of order for a long time, and the buses running between underground stations are failing, with congestion at stops increasing the risk of infection.