Opening the first meeting of the parliamentary committee for natural resources, energy and ecology in the current spring session on 26 January, Committee Chairman Sadig Gurbanov congratulated the participants on the start of the session and wished them success in their forthcoming endeavours.

The agenda of the meeting, held as a videoconference, dealt with the 2020 autumn session performance report and the 2021 spring session work plan of the Committee.

Mr Gurbanov mentioned the 3 meetings and 5 items discussed at them during the past session. There were the draft amendments to the Environmental Protection Law and to the Code of Administrative Offences as well as the 2021 State Budget of the Azerbaijan Republic Bill. Besides, the Committee members were actively involved in a string of discussions including on the matters appearing before the Milli Majlis at the plenary sessions, with the 2021 Budget Parcel having been amongst them. The Committee members made a number of appropriate proposals during the debates.

Further, both the chairman and the members of the Committee contributed to the online conferences and seminars on natural resources, energy and environmental protection, and to the online assemblies of the working groups for interparliamentary connections of which they are members. In addition, the MPs took part in the meetings with the delegations of the interparliamentary friendship groups of several countries during their visits to Azerbaijan.

It was further mentioned at the online meeting that the Committee received 30 diversely-themed letters, applications and documents during last session. The problems brought up in the inbound communication were forwarded to the concerned authorities. The Committee members held a number of meetings with their electors and with shahid and gazi families, and took action to address their concerns.

As regards the work plan for the spring session of the current year, it incorporates the Bills entering the Parliament in the context of the legislative initiatives of the President, MPs, the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic as well as draft amendments to several effective laws.

Moreover, the Committee will be processing the feedback and suggestions from the relevant state authorities, from NGOs and from the general public. Its members are going to join the planned gatherings to discuss matters related to natural resources, energy and natural environment as well as the enlightenment events concerning the constructive efforts in the reconquered lands of Azerbaijan.

The Committee members Nasib Mahamaliyev, Asim Mollazade, Fatma Yildirim, Iltizam Yusifov, Mashhur Mammadov, Mikhail Zabelin, Naghif Hamzayev, Aliabbas Salahzade and Anar Mammadov stated their views on both the last-session performance report and the current-session work plan, and made several opportune proposals. They accentuated the efficiency of the activities during the autumn sessions and brought up the subjects of managing the water resources of the country, gas supplies, preserving forests, planting new green spaces, the use of the alternative energy sources and so forth. Saying that the year 2020 would be popularly remembered as the Victory Year, the MPs added that it was necessary to restore and rebuild Garabagh and rectify the damage dealt to its nature.

Both the 2020 autumn session performance plan and the 2021 spring session work plan were commended and adopted at the Committee meeting.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis