TWO SIDES OF ONE MEDAL

It so turned out that with a slight difference in time Azerbaijan and Russia faced a natural disaster. Azerbaijan experienced a water test, Russia -a fire one. But in both cases all ended with `a pipe`.
Fires in Russia and floods in Azerbaijan, have been called by officials in Moscow and Baku a natural disaster. However during unofficial discussions both sides got a lot of criticism. The authorities faced a public obstruction for incompetence and a failure of rapid self-organization.
Both authorities tried to convince a layman that all departments acted well-coordinated in a state of emergency. Local TV channels aired meetings of the government, trips to the suffered regions, a footages of meetings with chiefs and tearful women and, of course, a fatherly care and compassion in the form of pledges of huge financial aid.
Pretty strange, but the governments in these post-soviet countries have almost equally estimated a total damage - nearly 300 million маnats, however in Russia a damage indemnity amount has appeared a little bit bigger. Probably due to a scale of the country and a number of officials who cling to a process of compensation.
Regarding a number of victims, Azerbaijan considerably won over it"s northern neighbor. According to official figures, 20 thousand homes have been flooded. But the government assessed as emergency ones nearly 3,5 thousand homes. In Russia more than 4 thousand households suffered from fires, but the government made a decision to construct 3,2 houses.
The next strange thing is that under construction houses have coincided at a price - 45 thousand маnats for a three-room house with area about 70 sq.m. The only difference is that in Azerbaijan the houses have constructed of a stone-cube, but without kitchen, bathroom, heating, gas, water, but in Russia from a cold-resistant easy design, but with kitchen, bathroom, heating, a water pipe and also a furniture.

Putin and Aliyev have promised to hand over the houses by winter, but a completion date have been announced by November. Strangely enough, both in the same day rushed to the suffered regions and declared there a success.
Putin has kept his promise and gave what he had promised. Regarding Alyiev"s pledge a situation is pretty difficult - he failed to give what promised regarding both a quality and a term. By November 1, nearly just one thousand homes have been constructed. Probably, some people in Azerbaijan think that winter comes late, approximately by a new year and even can"t come at all. It seems that"s why, a representative of the Ministry of Emergency hastened to reassure other flood victims that homes will be constructed, someday. No any pledges on compensations.
And the last coincidence in both countries - a financial matter. The projects have been implemented somehow, not clear and not obvious. There are no answer to a question "how much are new homes?" from both officials. The indirect information shows that in Russia a price have been overestimated twice, but in Azerbaijan three times. A only difference is that the Kremlin spent 300 million during a short term , but `the White House" of Baku is about to spend the financial aid. All depends on when a winter to come.

Mehman Aliyev