Reserve officers: No to "Safargate"

Baku/04.03.13/Turan " Safar Abiyev and corruption: the facts and arguments" was the theme of today's roundtable in the office of the Public Association "Reserve Officers." According to the head of the NGO, Yashar Jafarli, despite the discussion for many years the army problems and proposals for their solution,  there are no  any results. The main obstacle to make reforms in the army  is the Defense Minister, Safar Abiyev, and chief of staff, Najmeddin Sadigov.

"Until these people are replaced, there will not be  reforms in the army," said Jafarli.

 For many years  the leadership of the army does not take measures to prevent

non-combat losses,  because of which the number of soldiers' deaths is growing. In response to the  statement of reserve officers on the problems of the army, the Defense Ministry began collecting signatures in its support, which is abnormally  and is a politicization of the army, he said.

On February 5 there will be 18th anniversary  since the appointment of  Abiyev  the Defense Minister,  therefore  on February 4 – 9 there will be a "Week of  Safar Abiyev" , during which  there will be daily debates on the problems in the army.

Telman Abilov, the head of the community center to combat corruption, said that after the appointment Abiyev, he first began to remove combat and enforcement officers.  Those who protested and disagreed  were subjected to persecution, arrested and dismissed.

The first large facts of corruption began in 1996-97 by selling  soldiers’ rations. Despite testing, the Minister went "unscathed", and  those who identify the facts, Canmirza Mirzoyev was arrested, and  the academician, Ziya Buniyatov, a MP, was killed.

Another fact of corruption was  the demolition  in 2004 a  the military hotel "Salute". Then head of the Emergency Commission, Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov made a conclusion about the bad condition of the building, and got a two hectare site at the hotel.

During the formal review Abiyev stated that the area was presented him by  the late President Heydar Aliyev.

Besides, the area near the  Salyan barracks was resettled by the military housing department,  the territory of which  covered two hectares. In its place was built an 18-storey residential building.

Another high-rise building was built on the site of a dental clinic for the military also near the  Salyan barracks.

A land area of ​​67 hectares in the village of  Zira was handed by  Abiyev to his relative.  The land and housing  Fund of the Defense Ministry was squandered,  said Abilov. Thus, reserve officers declare sufficient serious allegations of corruption, which can be called "Safargate.»—05C06--