Press Review for 9 March 2018

The level of education in the country, the high cost of fairs, and a look at the manat rate policy are the leading topics of today's press.

The newspaper Azerbaijan writes about the high attention to the sphere of education and assesses its level. In the history of the country's independence, the education sector is an important part of the development concept of Azerbaijan. The author also speaks about the special role of Heydar Aliyev in this, as well as his follower Ilham Aliyev, and recalls the signing by the latter of a number of important documents in this field.

The newspaper Echo published an article about the formalities of the agricultural fairs in Baku. The author writes that the prices for such agricultural fairs have disappointed urban residents. In particular, in Sumgait, the cost of most goods is the same as in ordinary markets or retail outlets.

Although, in theory, agricultural fairs should attract buyers not only by the variety of products, but also by their cheap value.

The fight against artificial overstating of prices is ineffective and organizers of such fairs should take more care of attracting a large number of farmers to create a competitive environment. Only in this way it will be possible to bring down the price.

The website Azadliq.info writes that clouds are gathering over the manat. The well-known economist Gubad Ibadoglu, who thinks that the Central Bank is conducting an absurd exchange rate policy not based on economic logic, is discussing this issue.

In particular, he asserts that the private sector did not get currency from the import of Azerbaijani products. So, in 2017, goods worth 13 billion 811 million dollars were sent abroad.