Resident in Central Baku on Planned Demolition of Their Home: "Can You Buy a House for This Amount?"

Reports indicate that individual houses near the "Taza Pir" Mosque in Baku are slated for demolition to expand the Central Park. Residents who shared their concerns with Radio Azadliq  express worries about insufficient compensation.

Nazrin Mammadova (name changed), a resident of Abdulla Shaig Street, revealed that they had been informed about the demolition: "The houses on the street have already been marked. They say the work will start in March, and a park will be built here. Frankly, we’re worried because we’ve seen the troubles people faced during the construction of 'Winter Park.'"

She noted that no information on compensation amounts has been provided yet: "If they offer 2,000 AZN per square meter, we won’t agree. What kind of house can you buy with that nowadays? Our space is small, only 48 square meters. Even if there are houses for 96,000 AZN, they’re in places like Khirdalan or Masazir. Should I move from the city center to Khirdalan because a park will be built here?"

Residents claim they cannot determine which organization is behind the warnings.
Previously, during the demolition of homes in areas where "Winter Park" and Central Park are now located, residents were compensated between 1,500 and 2,000 AZN per square meter. However, residents argue that two major devaluations in 2015 significantly reduced the manat's value, and property prices in Baku have risen sharply since.

For years, demolition and construction projects have continued in Baku. In some cases, residents have resisted leaving their homes, leading to complaints about forced evictions. Some of these complaints have even reached the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), resulting in fines for the Azerbaijani government.

According to Baku's General Development Plan, the total area of outdated housing stock in the city is expected to be reduced by more than half by 2040.

Earlier this year, plans were announced to demolish 65 buildings in Baku, most of which were reportedly in a dilapidated state. Official information indicates that documents related to these 65 buildings were sent to the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture, which is currently conducting inventory work with other local authorities. However, it is unclear whether the homes near the "Taza Pir" Mosque are included in these plans.

The State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture informed Turan that demolitions in certain areas of Baku depend on various contractors and state institutions. It added that poorly planned, one- and two-story houses with worse living conditions could be the first to be demolished. Regarding compensation, the committee emphasized that social interests are considered when determining the amounts.

Attempts to contact the Yasamal District Executive Authority, where Abdulla Shaig Street is located, were unsuccessful.

Economist Natig Jafarli reminded  Radio Azadliq that the ECHR has issued hundreds of rulings regarding violations of property rights in Azerbaijan: "This indicates that the situation regarding property rights in the country is far from ideal."

Jafarli explained that, according to legislation, state institutions have the right to determine compensation when constructing state-important facilities. However, park construction does not fall into this category: "Even if the state builds a park, its institutions are not authorized to set compensation. Residents must be vigilant because officials may claim that 'it’s a government decision, and this is the amount offered, take it or leave it.' Residents must know how to defend their rights."

He emphasized that compensation for demolished homes should cover both material and moral damages: "These properties have been homes to generations, and their loss causes moral damage too. If the current market price for one square meter in that area is between 3,000 and 5,000 AZN, the compensation should be higher to address both financial impact and moral damages. Forcing residents to buy homes outside the city violates their rights."

Background

Demolitions in the "Sovetski" area of Baku began in 2013 to construct "Winter Park." Covering over 26 hectares, approximately 4,500 residential and non-residential properties were acquired and demolished, mostly based on agreements with residents.

In the second phase, 1,920 homes were reportedly demolished.

During both phases, some families resisted demolition due to disagreements over compensation amounts (1,500 AZN per square meter). These families held protests at various times, and some complaints were even submitted to the ECHR.

Demolitions in the "Sovetski" area have continued in recent years.