Illegal fencing removed in Baku

Baku city officials began taking down illegal fences which were obstructing pedestrian traffic on the roadsides and sidewalks. Created especially for the campaign, a working group has already started taking down fences throughout the Azerbaijani capital.

The dismantling began in the Khatai district, where seven such fences were taken down. These make-shift fences made of sheet metal block off parts of the city’s streets which are for commercial use, such as tea houses. According to the Report portal, the Head of the Municipal Control Department Zulfali Ismailov claimed that the campaign is also designed to combat illegal street business.

It is unclear, however, how these illegal structures appeared in the first place. Officials claim that the fences were simply put up on state-owned land without any permits issued do so.

The former mayor of Baku Hacibala Abutalibov recently left his post in order to become vice prime minister, with Eldar Azizov appointed as acting mayor.

Social network users believe that the change in vice prime minister and demolition of illegal installations are directly related.

“Hacibala also started this way – demolished all the booths built under the previous mayor,” one poster recalled events of more than a decade ago.

“Azizov is removing remnants of Abutalibov’s ‘rule’ in order to clear a field for himself,” others suggest.