Center for National and International Studies

FB Digest@VoxPOPULI

08.02.2020

The Fb users continue to discuss the last days of the election campaign, the meeting of the president with the Turkish Foreign Minister Javushoglu and his speech, especially related to Kocharian, and the PACE resolution about political prisoners in the country, another pro-government  MP being kicked out from the meeting  by the electorate, social problems of the country.

Gubad Ibadoglu suggests amendments to the new decree about “Indexation of Pensions” to extend it to all social benefits and stipends. He reminds that based on the last year statement of the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection due to the legalization of the jobs in the informal sector, the economy related salary funds  increased by 42%  or 3 bln manats. Thus indexation of all other social benefits can be extended not only at the expanse of the budget, but also of extra-budgetary income.

In regards the elections he comments on the son of the late head of military industrial ministry Yaver Jamalov running as an MP candidate at the 46 Shirvan electoral district. He says, that people have different problems –

some are smart, but poor, others are rich, but not smart. Based on the enormous family property of the minister’s son, he belongs to the latter. Because otherwise he would not run in these elections, but rather finance studying dozens of students abroad, or supported 20-30 families of  deceased in the war, So tell me, why do you need this MP position? Most probably, after that he will lose his property and everything…”

Civil activist Samir Kazimov shares video of how another pro-government MP the chiar of the Ana Vatan party Fazail Afgamali was kicked out by the dissatisfied  people from the meeting with his constituency of the 60 Salyan Neftchala electoral district.

Journalist Semour Hezi comments on the gas supply of the country: “ The president says, that the country is fully supplied with gas. However, few villages of one of the biggest city Shaki, or of  region bordering with Armenia Tovuz,  do not have gas.”

He also defends one of the candidates  the war veteran Kamil Musevi, who was the subject of indignant messages in response of utilization of derogatory word in his slogan. He asks the community to be more attentive to him, as he was wounded at the front, and considers these attacks have a form of  “campaign” against him.

Ramis Yunus, an activist and expert in exile comments on the events in the USA. He says, that it was predictable that the Senate will vote regarding Trump’s impeachment according to the party list, but taking into account that th events were watched not only in the US, but in the whole world, this became really a shame of America, “ as you cannot be guided by the semi-truth in such issue, where the foundations of the US Constitution are touched!”

One of the young candidates, Ulvi Hasanli comments on the campaign posters of the opposition and independent candidates, which are torn off from the boards in their districts by the government people. “ They have millions, all administrative resources, TV, army of trolls and they  still cannot tolerate one poster of the rival. They are so weak and insecure, so one can only laugh at them.. This is not a wind, they take them, tear apart and throw in the garbage bins. One from my constituency wrote to me, that he found my posters in the garbage bin, but took them out and placed them back on the board. We have such great people too!”

  The HR defender Asabali Mustafayev comments on the composition of the candidates, writing that part of them have capacity – are well educated, knowledgable, but no courage and open position, while others- the other way around – they are courageous, critical, but lack education  and knowledge…Not so many, he considers, have both qualities and he hopes they will be elected. He in particular stresses the group of independent lawyers who are running in this elections and who may significantly contribute to the work of new parliament. “Lets wait  and see,” – he concludes.

The blogger Ali Inglabci jokingly reports: “My neighbour said, that the school director said to wear wide and long dress on the e-day.. I have asked him, said the neighbour, – what are you going to do, hide Mazahir ( Mazahir Panahov, the chair of CEC- L.A)  there?”

Activist in exile Orduxan Babirov continues his vigils in Europe. This time he reports about the vigil  “ The Family of Dictators” in Groningen, Netherlands under the slogan: “ Ali-Pashayevs- you will be ousted”

Tofig Yagublu comments: “ The father liked Shahumian ( the bolshevik- L.A). His son praises Kocharian.. Both committed crimes against humanity in our country… Where does their love to our enemies come from?”

Ali Kerimli of PFP also writes about the statement of the president about Kocharian: “ Ilham Aliyev considers Azerbaijani Karabagh war veterans Afghan Mukhtarli, Saleh Rustamli, criminals, while Kocharian, who committed Khojali Massacre the political prisoner.” He specifies, that Kocharian not only committed Khojali, but also shot protesters to the falsified elections in his own country killing 10 people in 2008. ..”Thus the world does not object him being imprisoned. But here you go- he gets long awaited support from Azerbaijan’s president, who almost called him a political prisoner”

Altay Geyushov comments on the award given to the Turkish Foreign Minister by the Azerbaijan’s authorities: “ Movlud Cavushoglu was awarded by the order Friendship by Azerbaijan’s president, because he called extremely falsified elections most democratic and exemplary, while Azerbaijani prisons are full with political prisoners having said that ” There are no political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Tofig Yagublu also mentions, that the president Ilham Aliyev at the meeting with Chavushoglu called the resolution of PACE in regards political prisoners in Azerbaijan, as a valueless paper.

Altay Geyushov also analyses the political culture of the nation. He reminds, that politician Igbal Agazade in 2013 signed a letter  from Azerbaijan Parliament to the PACE that there are no political prisoners in the country, as well as congratulated Ilham Aliyev with his “ victory” in 2013. The people, however, have short memory.  They did not give the right assessment to the historical events, and that’s why history repeats all the time. All Soviet history the people’s writers, poets, intelligentsia were cursing first Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, while praising Stalin. But people do not care, still calling them great ones. “ Why the existence of people like MirShahin, Eynulla, Hasret, Arifoglu is not a problem in our country? Because such people know, that this society has neither principles, nor memory.” He considers that these two factors form the base of solid values, and because of their absence and short memory it became possible for Heydar Aliyev,  who brought an extreme corruption and nepotism/clanism since 1969, to come back to power in 1993 to make us again the victims of authoritarianism, corruption and nepotism. In the meantime, Igbal Agazade who called the opposition political prisoners the criminals, was nevertheless observed sitting with them in 2019 and discussing politics. Ilkin Rustamzade of NIDA, supporting his posting, writes: “ Altay Geyushov has written  impressive comments today about our people’s short memory. I would say, that even an active part of our society also suffers short memory problem.  I remember very clearly how I was resisting all the attempts to break me during 6 years in prison. But now I see, that people do not make a difference between those who bend over before the statue, or sign remorse letters, on the one hand, and those, who resist regime – on the other. Then, sub-consciously, part of my brain tells me, these people deserve to be slaves, and it discourages me from a struggle… But thanks to the other parts of the brain, I quickly mobilize and continue to struggle. “

One of the young candidates Ilgar Valiyev recalles  a story which was told by a woman, who when approached their MP Faraj Guliyev  with the request to  help her with job, suggested her to take to the sauna, and made other indecent proposals.

Natig Jafarli of REAL again refers to the issue of discord regarding participation in the elections among opposition. He repeats again, that participation in elections is a perfect opportunity to make society active, and people indeed became active, meeting with the prospective  MPs, expressing their attitudes and needs,  protesting and kicking out old YAP MPs from the meetings..He admits that like everyone who are active, they also make mistakes, but if there is livening of the atmosphere, and visible activisation of population, it is because of  REALs activities in this direction- in spite of curses, criticism, insults.. He also thanks the independent candidates for their contribution, and concludes, that if everyone joined them 1, 5 years ago ( instead of criticism) , the situation would be much better now.

The candidate of Garachukhur – Yeni Guneshli constituency blogger Mehman Huseynov complains on his timeline, that the Prosecutor’s office is dragging the consideration of his complaint regrading attempts of his rival  MP Faraj Guliyev to bribe him. He also promises that he will make public the recording of Guliyev’s bribe related proposal. “ People from 31 Surakhani, Garachukhur- Yeni Guneshli electoral district- I will deliver you from this misfortune. I will not allow that the corrupt fake deputy represents us in Milli Majlis

The candidate of Musavat party, its former leader Isa Gambar responding to the requests of his followers placed the transcript of his speech at the historical session of the republic’s Supreme Soviet on the 15 September 1989, which was the first  speech on behalf of the popular movement  since the occupation of Azerbaijan by Bolsheviks in 1920 and during the political turmoil of the times of perestroyka. The speech criticizes the Soviet leaders, has an analysis of all aspects of the country’s political, economic and security situation, characterises it as a crisis and suggests the number of  extra-ordinary measures to get out if it.

 Hikmet Haji-zade comments on his timeline: “It appears that Isa Gambar is the only one who mentioned the issue of political prisoners at the meeting with his electorate.. May be, this will be the reason of him being excluded from the list of “elected” MPs?”


February 10, 2020