Sometimes courts do satisfy complaints of citizens against state authorities

Baku/28.11.22/Turan: Azerbaijanis rarely file complaints in court against state bodies. Azerbaijani courts are thought to be obliged to unambiguously protect the interests of the state rather than those of citizens. However, sometimes the unexpected happens - the courts rule in people's favour, issuing a verdict in favour of claims against state organisations. 

Orhan Ismailov, general director of the "Finest Tobacco" MMC operating in Ganja, was on the verge of bankruptcy and closure because the company could not get excise stamps needed to sell imported cigarettes from the Finance Ministry. The company has been forced to cease operations for two years.

Turan reported on "Finest Tobacco"s conflict with the Finance Ministry in the article "Finance Ministry Confirms Failure to Enforce Presidential Decree on Excise Stamps". 

Ismailov took the matter to court. On 4 October the Ganja Administrative Court reviewed Ismayilov's suit to compel the Ministry of Finance to issue excise stamps, and the court upheld the claim.

The Ministry of Finance filed a lawsuit to the Court of Appeals, asking to cancel the decision of the Ganja Administrative Court. The case will be considered on 9 December.

The second case of a fair court decision in favour of a citizen: "Silk Way Airlines" instructor-navigator Igor Aleskerov was dismissed from his position after he reported in memos that the aircraft flew with insufficient fuel in their tanks for safe operation.

Turan wrote about this in an article titled "Navigator blames "Silk Way Airlines".

Aleskerov had reported dangerous incidents on Silk Way aircraft caused by company officials forcing pilots to refuel their planes with insufficient fuel.

Aleskerov filed a complaint in court. Having passed the stages of the judicial hierarchy, the case reached the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan, which on 28 October decided to satisfy the claim of the instructor-navigator to reinstate him in his previous position. Aleskerov continues to work for "Silk Way Airlines".

"I am satisfied, I am working in my previous position. I have been paid all my salaries for 25 months of forced unemployment," Igor Aleskerov told Turan. -0-