Press Review 04/21/2016

The massive job cuts, the Karabakh problem, and the situation in the non-oil sector are the major topics of today's press.

The Azadlyg writes about massive staff reductions in Azerenergy and the elimination of three divisions of the department. For example, 300 people of the dismissed energy control division are now out of work. Instead, a new division has been created, where 58 people work. In another division only 3 of the 28 employees have remained at work, and in another one only 2 of the 14 have remained. While the employees were issued 105 manat on holidays before, this amount has been reduced to 52 manat now.

The Echo writes about the theft connected with plastic cards. The level of this sort of fraud in Azerbaijan is 5.35 of the basis, according to the company Visa. A basis is 1 kopeck from every 100 dollars. Experts claim that fraud in this area has been growing since 2013.

The expert Samir Aliyev says that in 2015 in Azerbaijan plastic cards produced operations in the amount of 1,250 million manat. This means that about 399 thousand USD was stolen by fraud. With regard to the theft of cards themselves, this type of crime is also gaining momentum in Azerbaijan.

The Novoye Vremya blames the OSCE Minsk Group for the April clash on the Karabakh front, saying it was the result of its inactivity.

The article comments on the PACE resolution passed in connection with the Karabakh issue. To resolve this conflict it is important that the international community should exert pressure on Armenia.

The Bizim Yol gives expert opinions on the non-oil sector of the country. The fact is that within three months investment in the non-oil sector decreased by three times - from 1 billion 700 thousand manat to 626 million manat.

The expert Rovshan Agayev says the investment in the housing sector, agriculture and tourism decreased by 50%.

The expert Nazim Mamedov argues that the absence of a favorable situation in Azerbaijan pushes investors to Georgia and Turkey.