Media Review for February 17, 2020

The results of the parliamentary elections, the decline in foreign currency sales, and the state of the market economy in the country are the topics of today's media.

Official newspapers and websites do not publish comments on the outcome of the parliamentary elections. Only the Azerbaijan newspaper publishes decisions of the Central Election Commission on the investigation of election irregularities by the district election commissions.

The website Azadliq.info believes that after the election a different situation was created from a political point of view. So, 80% of the new parliament are “old” deputies, and the remaining 20% ​​are “old” in essence. In this case, it is unclear why these extraordinary parliamentary elections were needed?

The author believes that the motive was the desire of the authorities to create a confrontation with the opposition, which the authorities had to “defeat”.

However, the opposition felt a trap that caused the authorities double harm. At the same time, these elections pushed ahead of time the authorities with the international community, which condemned the falsification of elections and police violence against protesters.

The author also believes that the new parliament will neither be able to raise nor solve problems significant for the country.

The Bizimyol.info.az website writes about the rally on February 16 in front of the CEC building, where employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Rapid Response Regiment detained opposition leaders before the rally began. Pedestrians and vehicles were blocked. The protesters put on buses were sent hundreds of kilometers to Shamakhy, Hajikabul, Kurdamir and Yevlakh.

The website Yeniavaz.com writes about the reasons for the sharp decline in sales of dollars. In January of this year, the State Oil Fund sold $ 300.2 million, which is three times less than a month ago.

 According to experts, if the volume of products imported from abroad decreases, this means a decrease in demand or purchasing power. But over the past year, there has been no increase in production in the country. Experts link the decrease in the need for dollars with a decrease in activity after the New Year holidays, as well as the emergence of the Corona Virus. Worldwide, tourism has fallen by 30%.

The website Moderator.az discusses the situation with the market economy in the country. At the same time, as experts say, what kind of market economy can be discussed if there is no concept of competition between commercial enterprises. The country needs reforms that would save the state from efforts, and create conditions for citizens to prosper.

For example, state-owned enterprises also operate in China, but there is serious competition between them. That is, there is no market economy in Azerbaijan.