Why does not the Azerbaijani government open land borders?

Baku/14.06.22/Turan: Many countries have long opened land borders that were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Azerbaijan continues to keep them “under lock and key”. Crossing land borders is allowed only with special permission from the government.

For this reason, for two years now a permanent camp for Azerbaijani citizens has been operating in Dagestan, waiting for a pass to their homeland. Due to high airfare, not everyone can afford to return by air.

However, for foreign citizens in connection with Formula-1 racing, entry and exit from the country was free. In this regard, the chairman of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) Jamil Hasanli wrote on his Facebook page.

“The pandemic is over. All countries have opened their borders and refused to present various documents (tests and vaccination certificate). However, the ruling regime in Azerbaijan has turned the country into a closed zone.”

According to him, more than 20,000 students studying in Turkey, as well as more than 2 million Azerbaijanis living in the Russian Federation and Georgia, experience difficulty in coming to Azerbaijan. Land communication with Iran is also closed. The closure of land borders has caused the price of air tickets to triple.

“This is not a restriction, but a ban on the movement of millions of people, and the authorities must give an explanation for this,” he emphasizes.

Former member of the Milli Majlis, economist Nazim Beyderamirli also considers it unreasonable to keep the borders closed. In his opinion, the Azerbaijani government is doing this because it does not feel responsible to the citizens.

A member of the political committee of the REAL party, economist Natig Jafarli noted that all states neighboring Azerbaijan have opened land borders. Therefore, keeping the borders closed is illogical. According to him, closed land borders are only in the interests of air carriers, which have sharply increased prices.

“A country that wants to develop its tourism potential cannot close its borders, this is nonsense,” he said. Attempts to get a comment from the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers  were futile.

The Cabinet of Ministers itself also did not respond to the Turan agency's request. --06D--