Press Review 06/24/2016

Application of new standards in urban planning, the likelihood of another devaluation of the manat, the negotiations on the Karabakh settlement, tourism and prices, and the high costs in the markets are the themes of today's media.

The official Azerbaijan newspaper writes about the success of the reforms, citing the creation of "think tanks". The idea comes from President Ilham Aliyev’s April decree "On creation of the Center for Economic Reforms and Communications Analysis."

The author believes the development of economy in this case will be sent to a new intelligent channel.

Back in the 1970s Heydar Aliyev laid the foundation for the development of agricultural science.

Azadlig examines the situation with tourism. The minimum cost of a family holiday for four people in Sheki, Gakh, Guba, Gusar, Lerik, Shamakhi, and Gabala is 2,000 manats. The cost of a hotel for a week in these areas for one person with breakfast is about 500-700 manats. The hotel Kavkaz-Gabala-Resort asks 690 AZN for 4 nights in the period from June 15 to August 31.

The hotel Shamakhi Palace for 7 nights asks 499 manats, including breakfast and Spa.

In Jumeirah Bilgah Hotel the cost per night ranges from 235 to 410 manats.

At these prices it is preferable to rest in Georgia. A weekly holiday in Kobuleti is 190 manats, including three meals a day and all the amenities.

Echo has published an article “To Limit the Number of 16-storey Residential Buildings.” Recently, the State Committee for Urban Planning held a meeting with the deputy chief executive and architects of the metropolitan areas.

They discussed the decision of the Cabinet on 25 February 2016 on measures to develop districts of the capital. In this context, a pilot project will be implemented, involving systematic development and the limitation of houses to 9 and 12 floors.

Novoye Vremya: The AZN rate fluctuations against the US dollar undermines confidence in the national currency, although representatives of the Central Bank and all other financiers argue about the absence of a third devaluation threat.

MP Vahid Ahmadov, member of the Commission on Economic Policy MM believes that "soft" devaluation will take place and the dollar will be worth 1.8 manats.

Bizim Yol talks about the meeting of the Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in St. Petersburg on 20 June. The political scientist Zardusht Alizadeh calls the return of five regions to Azerbaijan a technical issue for Russia. The main thing for Moscow is to keep Nagorno-Karabakh as a tool to control the entire region.

Yeni Musavat writes about the rise in price of various commodities and products by 30-40%. Experts call three reasons for this: the local production does not meet demand, increased exports to the Russian market, as well as the expectation of new devaluation.