President Approves New Government

On the evening of October 22, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev approved a new government. Prime Minister of the newly appointed government is Arthur Rasizadeh, who since 1996 is the undisputed head of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Yaqub Eyyubov retains the appointment of the governments First Deputy. In addition, Abid Sharifov, Elchin Efendiyev and Ali Hasanov (part-time head of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs) keep the posts of vice-premiers. In this case, the prime minister received two new deputies. They are Ali Akhmedov - Executive Secretary of the ruling party New Azerbaijan and Ismet Abbasov, who in the previous government was Minister of Agriculture.

In general, most cabinet members kept their posts. The new members of the government are former head of the Accounting Chamber Heydar Asadov, who took over as Minister of Agriculture, and the former commander of the Interior Troops Zakir Hasanov, who heads the Ministry of Defense. Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, who for18 years headed the Defense Ministry, was dismissed.

In addition, Salim Muslimov, who previously headed the State Social Protection Fund (SSPF) in the new government, was appointed to the post of Minister of Labor and Social Protection. He replaced Fizuli Alekperov, whose son was called the main instigator of the civil unrest in the Ismayilli district in January this year.

Another change in the government is the title for the Ministry of Energy and Industry being replaced by the Ministry of Energy. Regulatory functions and the development of industry belong to the Ministry of Economy, which is now called the Ministry of Industry and Economics.

The President approved:

1.1. First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Yaqub Abdulla oglu Eyyubov;

1.2. Deputy Prime Minister - Abid Godja oglu Sharifov;

1.3. Deputy Prime Minister - Elchin Ilyas oglu Efendiyev;

1.4. Deputy Prime Minister - Ali Javad oglu Akhmedov;

1.5. Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Refugees and IDPs - Ali Shamil oglu Hasanov;

1.6. Deputy Prime Minister - Ismet Dursun oglu Abbasov;

1.7. Minister of Internal Affairs - Ramil Idris oglu Usubov ;

1.8. Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources - Seyyid Huseyn oglu Bagirov ;

1.9. Minister of Energy - Natig Agami oglu Aliyev;

1.10. Minister of Justice - Fikret Farrukh oglu Mamedov;

1.11. Minister of Labor and Social Protection - Salim Yanvar oglu Muslimov;

1.12. Minister of Emergency Situations - Kamaladdin Fattah oglu Heydarov;

1.13. Minister of Youth and Sport - Azad Arif oglu Rahimov ;

1.14. Minister of Foreign Affairs - Elmar Muharram oglu Mammadyarov;

1.15. Minister of Economy and Industry - Shahin Abdulla oglu Mustafayev ;

1.16. Minister of Agriculture - Heydar Khanysh oglu Asadov;

1.17. Minister of Finance - Samir Rauf oglu Sharifov ;

1.18. Minister of Culture and Tourism - Abulfaz Mursal oglu Garayev ;

1.19. Minister of National Security - Eldar Ahmed oglu Mahmudov;

1.20. Minister of Defense - Zakir Asgar oglu Hasanov ;

1.21. Minister of Defense Industry - Yavar Talib oglu Jamalov;

1.22. Minister of Transport - Ziya Arzuman oglu Mamedov;

1.23. Minister of Communications and Information Technologies - Ali Mahammad oglu Abbasov ;

1.24. Minister of Health - Oktay Kazim oglu Shiraliev;

1.25. Minister of Education - Mikail Chingiz oglu Jabbarov ;

1.26. Minister of Taxes - Fazil Asad oglu Mamedov ;

1.27. Chairman of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children - Hidzhran Kamran gyzy Huseynova;

1.28. Chairman of the State Committee on Diaspora - Nazim Huseyn oglu Ibrahimov;

1.29. Chairman of the State Committee for Religious Education - Elshad Huseyn oglu Iskenderov;

1.30. Chairman of the State Customs Committee - Aydin Ali oglu Aliyev;

1.31. Chairman of the State Committee on Statistics - Mikail Arif oglu Veliyev;

1.32. Chairman of the State Committee on Town Planning and Architecture - Abbas Abbas oglu Alasgarov;

1.33. Chairman of the State Committee of Land and Cartography - Garib Shamil oglu Mamedov ;

1.34. Chairman of the State Committee for Property Affairs - Kerem Avaz oglu Hasanov ;

1.35. Chairman of the State Committee on Securities - Rufat Jabrayil oglu Aslanly;

1.36. Chairman of the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patent - Eyvaz Ramiz oglu Hasanov ;

1.37. Chief of the State Migration Service - Firudin Hilal oglu Nabiyev;

1.38. Chief of the State Border Service - Elchin Isag oglu Guliyev ;

1.39. Chief of the State Service on Mobilization and Conscription - Arzu Yusif oglu Rahimov ;

1.40. Chief of the State Maritime Administration - Gudrat Gambar oglu Gurbanov ;

1.41. Director of the State Administration of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Hidayat Fuad oglu Guliyev ;

1.42. Chief of the National Archive Department of Azerbaijan - Atakhan Avaz oglu Pashayev . -0 -