Fuad Alesgerov: "NGO branches and representative offices of foreign countries in Azerbaijan are often violating the legislation"

Baku. 19 November. REPORT.AZ/ "International organizations and NGO's as usual, draw attention only to transparency and corruption issues at state committees. But experience shows that, activities of participants of civil society, especially NGO's are not transparent at all and there are too many cases of corruption and money laundering. Such cases are not only in Azerbaijan, the same happens in West countries too. For example, while "Mydecins du Monde" organization of France intended to provide investigation concerning corruption facts at NGO's, 11 of 17 biggest NGO's of the country rejected. And this obviously was clear evidence of that, these organizations activities were full with obscure moments".

Head of Department of Work with Law Enforcement bodies of the Executive Office of the President Fuad Alesgerov stated in his interview to "Azerbaijan" newspaper, Report informs. He said that, activities of all NGO's in Azerbaijan are not transparent at all. "I would like to pay to your attention to several facts on this matter. "National and International Research Center" Social Union was granted means in sum of 358 thousand manats on base of 9 grant contracts during several years. In accordance with the legislation, contracts on allocation of grants to be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for their registration. But above mentioned organization has registered only 2 contracts of 9 above mentioned. Another example is an activity of Peace and Democracy Institute. During 5 years, chief of this organization Leyla Yunus not-being a founder, had took a large sum of money from the accounts of NGO's named as "Azerbaijan Women On Behalf of Peace and Democracy in Caucasus" and used them for her personal aims."

F.Alesgerov stated with regret that, NGO branches and representative offices of foreign countries in Azerbaijan are often violating the legislation of the country, too. "That's to say, during several years, local NGO's were granted 2,8 million manats on 83 grant contracts by USA Democracy Foundation (NED), as well approximately 500 thousand manats were granted by National Democracy Institute of USA on base of 12 grant contracts, 900 thousand manats were granted on 35 grant contracts by International Researches and Exchange Union, 300 thousand manats by European Fund of Support to Democracy (EED) on base of several grant contracts, 7,6 million manats on base of 625 grant contracts by Association Fund of Lichtenstein Open Society Institute, but majority of these grant contracts were not registered.

Other law and legislation violations also occurred in this field. According to information, some donor organizations pay these means to NGO's in cash. That's to say, payment is not registering as a grant. While the NGOs should paid taxes for these grant allocations, they don't pay anything.