The parliamentary sitting in plenary held on 4 March under the chairmanship of Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova began with adoption of the agenda and discussion of the issues du jour.

The parliamentary committee chairman Zahid Oruj and the MPs Elman Nasirov, Konul Nurullayeva, Fazil Mustafa, Jeyhun Mammadov, Sabir Rustamkhanli, Shahin Ismayilov, Javid Osmanov, Bahrouz Maharramov and Mushfig Jafarov responded to global events and country issues. Comments were made about the Russo-Ukrainian war, the relevant standpoint of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan’s relations with the belligerent states. Also, the MPs talked about the work being done currently in education, army-building and humanitarian affairs. The importance of the presidential decree affirming the state programme of our youth’s studies at influential universities abroad in 2022-2026 was highlighted, besides. Several other matters were brought up as well.

Chair Sahiba Gafarova announced that the agenda consisted of 11 items the first of which had to do with a very important practical aspect of the supervisory function of the Milli Majlis. Namely, the annual report of the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) will be heard today in keeping with the legislation, which is why Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva, Chief of the Ombudsman’s Office Aydin Safikhanli and other persons attended the plenary sitting.

The assembly then listened to the 2021 report that was presented by Sabina Aliyeva herself.

Substantial steps were taken in the past period to ensure a yet more efficient defence of the human and citizen’s rights and liberties, according to Mrs Aliyeva who mentioned the de-mining afoot in the lands de-occupied under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief, the current creation of modern multi-profile infrastructure, restoration of the historical sights, religious centre and cultural heritage, rebuilding the populated localities destroyed previously to new standards, the launches of the Victory Road and the international airport of Fuzuli, the ground-breaking for the Zangazur Corridor and several other tremendously important projects that are in progress now. Apart from the run-up to the Great Return, special attention was paid to restoring the damaged rights of the former IDP who are to go back to their homelands. Having made whole again its national territory recognised as such internationally, our country is contributing across the board to peace and stability as well as to promotion of human rights, be it regionally or in the international arena, according to Sabina Aliyeva.

The economic and social response to the coronavirus pandemic had made the treatment and the vaccination accessible for all, which, in turn, had ensured the corralling of the infection, mitigation of the pandemic-related restraints and more efficient public health care arrangements, Sabina Aliyeva continued. Besides, a certain amount of work was done last year to raise salaries, pensions, allowances and other social benefits as well as improving the living conditions of the shahid families and the war veterans.

Speaking of the correspondence of the reported year, the ombudsman received 31,092 applications during it whereas the aggregate correspondence on record since the start-up of the ombudsman’s office numbers 271,442 letters and applications. All that feedback was processed appropriately; the applicants were provided with what assistance they needed to defend their rights and freedoms.

The welfare of the vulnerable social groups including the shahid families, the war veterans, the elderly, pre-retirement citizens as well as low-income and large families was in the focus as much as their employment situation and unemployment cases were. Besides, appeals from members of the families of the civilians killed by the Armenian armed forces’ missile attacks upon Azerbaijan’s communities and of those whose houses had been damaged by those salvos were considered with particular attention. Measures had been taken to resolve fully the issues raised by those people. It was especially important to protect the labour rights against the backdrop of the pandemic and to ensure public employment. Low-income families were helped with subsistence farming and assisted in setting up small businesses so as to provide them with sources of income. The coverage of the self-employment promotion programmes was enlarged. All those efforts matter when it comes to improving the living conditions of such families and reducing their dependence on state aid gradually, according to the ombudsman.

A great deal of attention was paid to public legal enlightenment, legislative streamlining and co-operation with civil society institutions and international organisations, all for the sake of more efficient promotion of human rights’ enforcement.

The international community were made aware at the meetings held during the abroad trips of the steps taken by our state in defence of human rights and about also the crimes that Armenia had committed during the 44 days of the Patriotic War, including the missile assaults on Azerbaijan’s civic facilities and those assaults’ consequences, about also the hazards posed by the mines planted by the Armenian side in the de-occupied Azerbaijani territories and the same Armenian side’s refusal to release accurate minefield maps – those few that they did let go of had proven inaccurate. Lastly, it had been said at all those encounters that each of the listed complications and they in entirety put hurdles for our former IDPs’ homecoming. The delegations of the Association of Ombudsmen of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and of the Human Rights and Equality office of Turkey that visited our country at different times carried out fact-finding missions, for which purpose they travelled to the localities destroyed by the Armenian missile blasts in the Azerbaijani lands purged of the invaders. The reports based on the facts those studies had established were sent to the appropriate international organisations. The total of 14 reports, 21 announcements, 23 applications, almost 150 press releases and 2 videos had been prepared and submitted to international institutions as well as posted to the ombudsman’s office’s social media accounts ever since the time when the Patriotic War was in progress yet.

Once Sabina Aliyeva finished reading her report, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee Zahid Oruj told the House that the 2021 report, which met the constitutional provisions, was important for clarification of the state of affairs with human rights and freedoms in our country and, at the same time, for assessment of problems in that area. Besides, the HR ombudsman’s report requires a comparative analysis and decision-making within the legislative, administrative and other related fields. The office of the ombudsman that turns twenty years in 2022 has gained a considerable public status and has become a dependable body that is acting between the State and its citizens, in the opinion of Mr Oruj. It was said also that the information about hundreds of citizen receptions, held live and online, about also the more than 31,000 people’s applications having been considered and resolved last year and about 148 visits to correction facilities could be gleaned from the report. The document emphasises the importance of various state authorities’ approaching each application they receive sensitively; it also underscores the necessity of fairness and responsibility in repairing the damaged rights of the people.

The committee chairman found it commendable that that part of the report which dealt with international co-operation contained references to the action taken to establish the factual evidence of Armenia having infringed upon human rights and breached the international legal norms and principles – during the war as much as in the post-war period. In addition, Mr Oruj said it was important that the report contained proposals to formulate and adopt a national human rights defence action programme, set up specialised intellectual property courts, initiate co-ordination between executive authorities and specialist state agencies to make enforcement of judgements more flexible and impartial, put on more social adaptation centres and do other good and useful things.

Energetic deliberations followed. Commentaries, questions and suggestions came from the committee chair Ganira Pashayeva and the MPs Nigyar Arpadarai, Aziz Alakbarov, Aydin Mirzazade, Erkin Gadirli, Razi Nurullayev, Ali Masimli, Fazil Mustafa, Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Etibar Aliyev, Sahib Aliyeva and Fazail Agamali.

The 2021 report by the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Azerbaijan Republic was noted duly then, whereafter Speaker Sahiba Gafarova let it be known that the next five items on the agenda of the plenum were the Bills due to be tabled in the third reading.

Deputy Chairman of the Law Policy and State-Building Committee Gudrat Hasanguliyev tabled the amendments (in the third reading, as was announced) to the constitutional law ‘On the Regulatory Legal Acts’. The amendments are of the unifying nature, have to do with the enactment of the Media Law and put the wordings ‘the National TV and Radio’ and ‘the Audio-visual (Board) of the Azerbaijan Republic’ to the Articles 4.1.5 and 80.0.2.5 of the constitutional law, Mr Hasanguliyev was saying.

The Bill was voted through the third reading.

The third-reading amendments to the Medical Insurance Law were brought before the House by Chairman of the Health Committee Ahliman Amiraslanov who remarked that the amended Article 15-11.8 was to introduce a controlling mechanism for the compulsory medical insurance fees paid on imported excisable goods.  The amended Article 16-4.4-1 says that the Articles 15-28.3 and 15-28.4 in the respective parts concerned with the co-funding amounts were to come into effect on 1 January 2023.

Chairman of the Economic Policy, Industries and Enterprising Committee Tahir Mirkishili shared his thoughts about the Bill before it was approved in the third reading.

Next, Chairman of the Regional Affairs Committee Siyavush Novruzov presented the third reading of the Bill ‘On the Partial Changes in the Administrative Territorial Structure of Ganja City’ and a set of draft amendments, also in the first reading, to ‘The List of the Municipalities of the Azerbaijan Republic’ contained in the Law ‘On the Municipal Territories and Lands’.

The proposed changes in the territorial division of that city boil down to termination of its Kapaz and Nizami districts and removal of their names from the State Register of the Territorial Divisions of the Azerbaijan Republic. The precincts Nos 1 and 2, of the Nizami District until now, will become the Ganja City precincts Nos 1 and 2. The precincts Nos 1 and 2 of the soon-to-be-dissolved Kapaz District c/w the incorporated settlement precincts of Javadkhan, Hajikend, Mehseti, Natavan, Sadilli and Shikhzamanli will become parts of Ganja City, namely, the precincts Nos 3 and 4 c/w the to-be-incorporated settlement precincts by the same names as above.

The two Bills were put on vote and adopted in the third reading one after another.

Deputy Chairman of the Law Policy and State-Building Committee Gudrat Hasanguliyev followed that up with the third-reading amendments to the City-Planning and Building Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. In Article 81.2 of the Code, the fragment ‘75.8, 75.11’ will be replaced with ‘75.9-75.11;’ besides, there will be the new Article 102.4-3. On the grounds cited in Article 102.4-2, a building utilisation permit shall be granted to a tenant builder no later than within 2 business days, either in person or by registered post, on condition that a document confirming the tenant builder has paid the relevant state duty. Should no such document be submitted, the permit shall be annulled by the appropriate executive authority or by the body incepted by it, and the tenant builder shall be notified accordingly, again, no later than within 2 business days, either in person or by registered post.

The Bill was approved in the third reading.

Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova said then that the next five items dealt with Bills in the first reading with Item 7 being the Food Security Bill, the scheduled consideration of which had necessitated the presence at today’s meeting in plenary of Chairman of the Food Security Agency Goshgar Tahmazov, Chief of the FSA Staff Elkhan Mikayilov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ilhama Gadimova and Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee Javad Gasimov.

Chairman of the Agrarian Policy Committee Tahir Rzayev emphasised the significance of the Food Security Bill he was presenting in the first reading in the context of national security. It had been drawn up in compliance with the relevant international standards and norms, Mr Rzayev added.

The future law consists of 9 chapters and 40 articles; it will apply to foodstuffs at pre-fabrication, fabrication and processing stages as well as to imported foodstuffs. It is also going to be applicable to the pre-fabrication, fabrication, processing, circulation, recycling and disposal of foodstuffs. As said in the Bill, the State shall regulate increasing the competitiveness and export potentials of foodstuffs and fodders of local production as well as the State shall regulate promotion of business enterprising in pre-fabrication, fabrication, processing, circulation and recycling of foodstuffs and fodders.

The Bill defines the State’s duties with regards to food security, the underlying principles of food security, drafting and enactment of technical regulatory legal acts on protection of consumer rights and, again, on food security. At the same time, the Bill contains certain food-product safety requirements; such requirements apply to foodstuffs, fodders, special-purpose foodstuffs as well as bioactive and enriched foodstuffs.

Furthermore, the same document encompasses such other matters as registration and approval, certification and tracking of products within the area in question; also, the state foodstuff and fodder security control and the rights and obligations of this field’s subjects.

The parliamentary committee chair Ganira Pashayeva and the MPs Ali Masimli, Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Elshan Musayev, Razi Nurullayev, Ilham Mammadov and Vugar Bayramov were active in the deliberations that began after the presentation. They brought up the importance of the Bill and voiced their own ideas and suggestions respecting food security. Chairman of the Food Security Agency Goshgar Tahmazov commented on their remarks before the Bill was approved in the first reading.

The plenum of the Milli Majlis went on.

Chairman of the Economic Policy, Industries and Enterprising Committee Tahir Mirkishili tabled the first-reading amendments to the Law ‘On Licences and Permits’, which, he explained, followed in the footsteps of the enacted Media Law and were intended to align the licensable telecasters and broadcasters with the audio-visual media classification given in the Media Law.

Once the Bill was approved in the first reading, Mr Mirkishili proceeded to tell the House of the first-reading amendments to the State Duty Law, which, too, are evoked by the Media Law and will ensure the already-mentioned alignment. But, additionally, those amendments also address the state duties linked to operations of audio-visual media.

That Bill was approved in the first reading as well.

The same Tahir Mirkishili gave an overview of the first-reading amendments to the State Property Privatisation Law. He told the assembly that, pursuant to Article 11.2 of the Law, there would be deductions from the state property privatisation returns at the disposal of the state authority carrying out the privatisation. Such deductions will be spent on the ends defined in the said article.

Also, it is proposed to put in more relevant spending items so that the list would include supporting operations of the already-privatised enterprises and facilities, supporting also the safekeeping and protection of state property and reinforcing the logistical foundation of the state property seller. Now, the amendment at hand will add to the efficiency of the relevant activities of the concerned state agency.

The House listened to what MP Ali Masimli had to say about this before the Bill was voted on ‘pro’ in the first reading.

Anar Mammadov of the Economic Policy, Industries and Enterprising Committee told the Milli Majlis of the amendments (in the first reading) to the Anti-Monopoly Activities Law, the Food Products Law and the State Secret Law. The State Reserves Agency was established pursuant to the presidential decree ‘On the Establishment of the State Reserves Agency of the Azerbaijan Republic’ dated 7 October 2021. The SRA is tasked with formulation of the state policy on accumulating state and mobilisation reserves with subsequent involvement in carrying such a policy into life. The SRA is also responsible for keeping the national supplies of strategic goods stable and averting short-term abrupt price fluctuations regarding those goods in the domestic market. The Charter of the SRA was signed off on 10 February 2022. So, MP Mammadov remarked, the Bill brought to the attention of the House had been drawn up in connexion with those two decrees of 7 October 2021 and 10 February 2022, and was of the concretising nature and intent.

The joint favourable opinion statement of the Law Policy and State-Building Committee and the Agrarian Policy Committee was heard first. Then, the Bill was put on vote and approved in the first reading.

And today’s sitting of the Milli Majlis was over.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis