Press Review 03/12/2016

Official newspapers publish numerous reports on the March 10-11 Global Forum in Baku and meetings of the President with the participants.

The main themes are the non-governmental press comments on the financial and economic situation in the country and social problems.

The newspaper Azadlig says report US Public Radio, who devoted his material difficult position of Azerbaijan in the light of the decline in oil prices.

The roundtable participants noted in the discussions negligence of the Azerbaijani government, which spent the money left to right instead of real reform, and now forced to save on everything.

Another participant of the discussion, the journalist Corey Flintof noted that Azerbaijan is trying to present itself as a country with a dynamic development. In the past year, it was conducted very expensive European game, with which the authorities wanted to make publicity in the world.

Another analyst, Sibren de Jong said that the drop in oil prices led to a sharp increase in unemployment. During a large flow of petrodollars, the authorities have not done anything for the diversification of the economy and its revenues by 75% dependent on oil. Universal corruption has become the biggest problem of the country and Azerbaijan this indicator is on the 119 place among such countries as Gayan, Sierra Leone and Russia.

The representative of the Carnegie Endowment Sarah Chaves believes that the Azerbaijani government is not the people's interests, and the interests of groups of individuals.

The newspaper Yeni Musavat writes about the prices for products on the eve of Novruz.

The difference on the same products, the same companies in different shops of the capital are quite different. Price difference reaches 15-20%.

Commenting on this, Eyyub Huseynov, the expert notes that there is no monitoring or control in this area, hence the abuse.

The newspaper Bizim Yol writes about the project Southern Gas Corridor, which would cost 45 billion dollars. The share of SOCAR in the project is estimated as 12 billion dollars, which will have to be invested in this global project on the background of falling oil prices.

An expert from GPW Consulting Libya Paggin said that SOCAR will not be able to make such investments.

This global project stands before Azerbaijan together with the increase in the external debt. Experts see the way out of the situation in the invitation to the Southern Gas Corridor of new players or the sale of the share of Azerbaijan.  –0--