President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Anar Taghiyev on his appointment as head of Yevlakh City Executive Authority and Elnur Rzayev on his appointment as head of Khachmaz District Executive Authority.

President Ilham Aliyev made a speech at the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- I am appointing you to the positions of heads of the Executive Authority. Until now, you held the positions of deputy heads of the Executive Authority and gained certain experience. And now, as a sign of great confidence, I am appointing you as heads of the Executive Authority of Khachmaz and Yevlakh districts. This is great trust which you must justify.

Shamsaddin Khanbabayev has been working in Khachmaz district for many years. He held the post of Prime Minister in Nakhchivan under the leadership of great leader Heydar Aliyev. Then he held the post of Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan. The former minister wanted to dismiss him, but I stopped that because on the one hand Shamsaddin Khanbabayev is an experienced person and, on the other, he supported Heydar Aliyev in the most difficult times, and Heydar Aliyev appointed him to the post of Prime Minister of Nakhchivan.

Improvement work has been carried out in Khachmaz district in recent years. Large-scale infrastructure projects have been implemented. On my initiative, a modular power plant was built, agricultural parks have started operating, a road from Baku to Khachmaz and rural roads have been built. Khachmaz district has extensive tourism potential, and I believe that we need to use these opportunities more broadly in the future. The tourist opportunities of the northern region are quite extensive. As you know, one of the best ski centers in the CIS, the Shahdag resort, operates in Gusar district. It was also established on my initiative. When I first visited those mountains, no-one lived there, there was no infrastructure at all. We built roads. On the border of Guba and Gusar districts, a modern power station was set up, gas supply was arranged, electricity and water supply were provided. In a word, a very large development project was implemented in Gusar district. I want to repeat that the Shahdag resort is one of the most beautiful ski resorts not only in the CIS, but also on a global scale today.

Khachmaz district also has excellent natural conditions. Suffice it to mention the Nabran zone. It is indeed a unique natural site. Of course, the tourism infrastructure there must meet modern standards. Unfortunately, it is not the case now. During my latest visit to Khachmaz district, I got acquainted with the tourism opportunities there and was convinced that they do not correspond to the current level of development of Azerbaijan. A number of recreation areas are extremely primitive, the level of service is also very low. Therefore, it is necessary to pay serious attention to this issue. The necessary assistance will be provided by the state. However, local executive authorities should also pay great attention to this area. Khachmaz District also has great agricultural potential. The Yalama Agricultural Park created there is a project of major investment capacity. Work in other directions should also be carried out correctly. Taking into account the requests from local citizens, large-scale irrigation projects were implemented there. In other words, the district has huge potential. With regard to infrastructure, the Olympic Center was established, a hospital, and improvement work was carried out. This work should be continued, and only at a modern level, in accordance with modern requirements.

Yevlakh district has great potential as well. Major infrastructure projects have also been implemented there. True, drinking water and sewage projects have not yet begun. In Khachmaz district, these projects are now over. A few days ago, the Joint Stock Company Azersu was instructed to initiate drinking water and sewage projects in Yevlakh district. Currently, these projects in Azerbaijan have not begun only in five districts. However, relevant instructions have been issued and this work should be continued.

Of course, there are great opportunities in the field of agriculture. There is enormous potential in terms of industry. In other words, the heads of the executive authority should be active in all these affairs. True, the main work is carried out by state bodies. Building roads, provision of electricity and gas – all these are issues that are resolved within the framework of the state investment program. Local executive authorities simply have to be active and make effort to implement all these projects.

The main tasks facing you are to ensure the socioeconomic development of the districts you will be leading. You should always stay in touch with citizens, travel to villages and meet with villagers. Your work is not office work. True, the work of every leader, of course, includes decisions, work carried out, meetings – all this is the everyday lifestyle of any manager. However, you need to be role models as heads of executive authority.

I have repeatedly said that if the problems of all villages in our country are resolved, then all the problems will be resolved – in particular, given that the fourth state program on the socioeconomic development of the regions is currently being implemented. I believe that as a result of the implementation of the fourth program, the issues that are still unresolved will be completely resolved. The implementation of this program also covers Khachmaz and Yevlakh districts. You should address people’s concerns, examine their problems and do the right analysis. You should address issues at the district level. If you are not able to do this, then you should contact central executive bodies, including the Presidential Administration, so that we can resolve the problems.

At the same time, taking a deeper look at the problems of the district and the issues of concern to our people, you need to take relevant measures on the basis of continuous contact with citizens. All negative factors must end. Bribery and corruption must be completely eradicated. I am personally giving you this instruction. If I hear or find out that you are going the wrong way, you will be seriously punished. I want you to know this in advance, so that all other representatives and heads of local executive authorities can hear me. Azerbaijan should wage vehement combat against corruption and bribery. This wound hinders our development and may disrupt our plans for the future. True, this trouble exists in all countries. But most important is the attitude of the leadership towards this issue. Transparency and honesty in Azerbaijan should become a way of life for every government official. Therefore, together with relevant state bodies, you should seriously address this issue and create an absolutely transparent environment.

It is necessary to pay attention to the work on improvement and creation in the districts. It is very important that the existing facilities should be in working condition. I have been informed that the youth centers opened in several districts with my participation are now closed, a padlock hangs on their doors and they are there just for visibility. This is unbearable – money has been spent on them. Young people should spend their leisure time in youth centers, interesting events, intellectual games and events on the theme of patriotism should be organized in them. These centers are built but are often not used. There are Heydar Aliyev centers in almost every district center. What is their purpose? They are meant for people to spend their leisure time there, for various clubs and exhibitions to operate there. These centers should become an integral part of the cultural life of the district. However, I am told that sometimes after opening the doors are locked again and the centers are actually inactive. You need to seriously address this issue. In other words, life in the districts should become more dynamic. Of course, the difference between the regions and big cities exists in all countries but we should reduce this difference. In the districts, it is necessary to create conditions for people to live there. There should be jobs. At present, this program is being implemented by the state, including the creation of paid public jobs. This year, about 40,000 paid public jobs have been opened. What was the previous picture? Some heads of executive authorities listed the names of non-existent people, embezzled their money and thus engaged in theft. They have already been punished. Therefore, it is also necessary to ensure full transparency in this area. Together with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, you should engage the most vulnerable people in this work, so that they don’t remain unemployed. I want to say that we do not need the vast majority of these paid jobs. However, we are doing this to reduce unemployment and to provide jobs to those who want to work in the regions. I want to repeat that about 40,000 people are already engaged in these works, among them there are gardeners and repairmen. We also need this. Therefore, serious attention needs to be paid to this area. You should try to make people happy with your work.

Public oversight in the districts should be strengthened. Please prepare relevant proposals to achieve this. We need to engage the public in our common work, so that representatives of the public make effort and control your work and the work of government agencies. If we achieve this, then if a negative fact happens, we will immediately find out about it and take the necessary measures. Often, information comes from the districts that everything is allegedly fine, everything is good and we are doing all the work here at the highest level. But if you look a little further, you can see that this is not the case, that some heads of the executive authority communicate false information. They provide false information in order to show off or conceal their shortcomings. Information is provided that does not reflect the real state of affairs in connection with the development of districts and existing problems. Therefore, I also often travel to the districts to hear about these problems from people on the ground. We must address them. If someone is trying to disguise a problem, they are mistaken. So I am instructing you: problems exist in any country and we should not hide them. On the contrary, they must be identified. Among other things, I have repeatedly addressed representatives of the media, told them that they are my assistants. In some cases, I find out about an unbearable situation from the media. I want to touch upon a recent event. An earthquake occurred in Shamakhi district and major funds were allocated. I visited there, handed the citizens the keys to new homes. However, I saw on TV the other day that half of the school building has collapsed, there are cracks. Children are afraid to go there. Eight months have passed, is it really impossible to do this? Funds have been allocated, instructions have been given, many houses have been built. If the school is in such unsuitable condition, how can one put up with this? If this report hadn’t been covered in the media, on television, I would not have found out. After learning about this, I immediately gave an order. Work will begin there shortly, and the school building will either be demolished and rebuilt, or overhauled. Therefore, public control is necessary. You should not be afraid of this. On the contrary, the public should support you.

You are young, one of you is 37 and the other 38 years old. Today, a policy of rejuvenation is being pursued in Azerbaijan. this is natural. Generations are changing and people with new thinking are coming forward. This is a natural process and we cannot remain aloof from it. However, I have to say that this should not take on the nature of a campaign. I am informed that some people are trying to turn this into a campaign and to direct it against experienced and elderly people. I will not allow this. I know who is capable of what and who has contributed what to this day. Therefore, it is necessary to create a unity between experience and the dynamism of youth in Azerbaijan. Thanks to this synthesis, we can achieve excellent results. In addition, the older generation should share its experiences. Therefore, everyone should know that I cannot allow this campaign. People with certain merits are, of course, receiving recognition from the state, and we will not allow a campaign. At the same time, of course, the process of rejuvenation should go on, and it is not only about age, but also about thinking, an approach to work. You, as people appointed by me, should work so that the people of both Yevlakh and Khachmaz express appreciation. If you do not justify this confidence, I will dismiss and punish you.

So go on and get down to work. I repeat that you must live up to the high confidence of the President and the people.