No compensation for families of Azerbaijani soldiers killed in Karabakh

Several families of Azerbaijani soldiers killed in Karabakh say that the government has not compensated them for their loss.

Families are entitled to a one-time payment of 11,000 manat (about $6,470) should they lose a member serving in the army.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection says many of these families received compensation back in the 1990s, which means they are no longer entitled to this benefit.

The families of some soldiers say they have not received any compensation whatsoever. The ministry insists that this is not the case, but has not yet provided proof that these families were indeed compensated. In response, several families held a rally in front of the Milli Majlis (National Parliament) where the issue is being discussed.

MP Fazil Mustafa blames several government institutions for the situation resulting in citizens dealing with the burden of proving whether or not they received compensation:

“This is the wrong approach. These structures should have their own archive. They must fulfill their functions and refer complainants to the Milli Majlis. Perhaps the number of these people is small, but there should be a reaction to their discontent. Perhaps some of them are wrong, but the state should still look into the matter.”