Social and Political Forces Discussed Ways out of Crisis

The crisis in the economy and the way out of it were discussed on Sunday during the hearing at the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan. The discussion was attended by representatives of opposition parties, civil society and media.

The speakers blamed the crisis in the economy on the government. The double devaluation of the manat and the sharp rise in prices were the result of the incompetent government policies, corruption and bribery, and the dominance of monopolies.

"The reasons for the situation are clear. The country is in deep crisis as a result of the predatory kleptocratic plundering the country's wealth by the power, and we must seek a way out of the crisis.

It is necessary to prepare proposals and demand answers from the government," the People's Parrty's head Panah Hussein said, opening the meeting.

The former Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan (in the period of the Popular Front in 1992-93) Ikhtiyar Shirin said the crisis came from the withdrawal of billion-dollar funds from the country.

"This is not just a question of socio-economic, but also of a criminal nature. Therefore, the withdrawn capital first has to be returned to the country. Investigating this issue requires a public commission with certain powers," said Shirin.

The commission, in his opinion, should determine the placement of funds withdrawn from the country.

Shirin also called on the authorities not to talk to the people "a language of threats" and find "a common ground."

The leader of the Democratic Party Sardar Jalaloglu said that 10 percent of the crisis is associated with the collapse of oil prices, and the remaining 90 percent is the result of poor management.

"This is not only an economic but also a systemic crisis. It is unlikely that the government giving rise to this crisis will be able to cope with it. Today, at stake is not only the fate of the government, but also the country," said Jalaloglu.

In his view, a way out of the situation is fundamental reforms.

"It is necessary to hold parliamentary elections, the results of which would be recognized by the Western states, the creation of a coalition government, and changes in the legislation," said Jalaloglu.

He also noted the need for dialogue between the government and the opposition, keeping in mind that the authorities should be represented not by some official, but by the President himself.

The leader of the Citizens and Development Party Ali Aliyev said the opposition had repeatedly warned that the situation in the country was changing for the worse, while the authorities ignored these warnings.

"Today the opposition should put aside all differences and grievances, organize people and find ways out of the situation," Aliyev said.

He also criticized the announcement by President Aliyev within the framework of the Davos forum that the Russian capital can take part in the proposed new privatization in Azerbaijan.

Aliyev saw this as a threat to the independence of the country.

"Azerbaijan should go in the direction of the civilized world, to Europe and cooperation with NATO," Aliyev said.

Following the hearings, it was decided to establish a working group to prepare a discussion in a broader format.

The first working group meeting is scheduled for January 27.

The discussion was attended by about 200 people: representatives of 12 political parties, a number of public organizations and the media community. The working group is planning to prepare an appeal to engage a wide range of political and social organizations in the process.

The two largest opposition parties, namely the Popular Front and the Musavat, did not participate in the hearings. -05D06--