President of Azerbaijan lists problems to tackle

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev presided over a cabinet meeting dedicated to reviewing socio-economic growth in the country over the past nine months.

Aliyev listed a number of pressing and persistent social issues, such as public transport, illegal tree felling and ‘air-polluting restaurants’.

In particular, Aliyev made particular threats to people involved in the illegal tree felling business. He noted that though some progress has been made in solving the problem, but it has not been entirely eradicated.

“Let those who cut down trees without a permit from the Ministry of the Ecology and Natural Resources blame themselves,” the president said categorically as he addressed illegal tree fellers.

The president also:

• threatened to close down air-polluting restaurants. These are restaurants that emit unfiltered smoke which fills Baku’s sky with smog and the smell of fried meat. Filters for restaurant exhaust systems have recently been made mandatory.
• said that private bus companies must be regulated through strict governmental controls. He mentioned the infamous crash of last week when a bus collided with a freight train. As a result, two died and 42 were injured.
• called on the cabinet to wage war against those who pose as displaced persons in order to receive government subsidised apartments. “We have to carry out serious reforms in this sphere. Account has to be taken, and transparency guaranteed,” the president said.