Press Review 12/10/2016

Progress in economic reforms, poor management, who is behind the rise in prices, the dollar trade at the "black market" are the themes of today's media.

 The Azerbaijan newspaper writes about a new development strategy for the country's economy and preparation of the appropriate legal framework. The priority for the development of non-oil sector is the diversification of the economy, the article says.

The author claims the presence of important progress made in recent years as a result of reforms and does not deny the impact of negative processes in the world on Azerbaijan.

The website Azadliq.info writes about the current issue today - raising the electricity and gas prices by the Tariff council. The author does not believe that the decision was taken by the TC. Such decisions are made at the top. As is known, the light prices increased by 57% and the gas prices – by 100%.

Echo writes that in Azerbaijan it is necessary to reduce the number of ministries, because their staff is too inflated. This issue has been discussed for many years. It should be gradual; otherwise the army of unemployed will grow strongly. Experts consider inappropriate the presence of the Ministry of Taxes, which could be a department in the Ministry of Finance. There is no need for the State Customs Committee either. It could be replaced by the Customs Service under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Yeni Musavat analyzes the matter from where USD comes to the "black market". The author writes that almost all metro stations have their "black market", where citizens have to go because the banks do not sell dollars. Experts believe that the banks themselves are interested in the preservation of the "black market."