Baku. Ilkin Ahmadov - APA-Economics. The head of the Baku office of the Asian Development Bank Ollie Norojono will leave Azerbaijan as his powers will end on September 30. During his five-year mission, Mr. Norojono became friends with economic journalists.
In the following interview, we spoke about some interesting points: a first word in Azerbaijani language, national meals, places which he mostly likes and etc.
- I’d like go back to the beginning. What information did you have about Azerbaijan before appointment?
- I joined Asian Development Bank in 2002. I worked at the South Asia Department (SARD) for 4 years. The matter is about the countries like Philippine, Indonesia. Then I worked at Central and West Asia Department (CWRD) for 4 years too. In this department, I worked with the countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Clearly, I had not information about Azerbaijan, including people, history and operations with our bank. However, I was offered the Director of ADB Baku Office and I accepted the offer. Then, I began to be interested in Azerbaijan. At the same time, after visiting Azerbaijan, I saw how your country has developed. Moreover, I can say that Azerbaijan’s people, culinary, weather created good impression on me. I had come to a different region and this created an uncommon atmosphere for me.
- We’ll speak about abovementioned points comprehensively. I wonder, what word did learn in Azerbaijani language firstly?
- Salam (Hello) (smiles). This is same word in our language too. Pronunciation is also fluent. Moreover, it’s important to learn greeting firstly when you go to different region.
- How many words do you know in our language?
- Bil-mi-rÉ™m (I don’t know) (smiles and answers in Azerbaijani)... I know few words in Azerbaijan. Clearly, number of words, which I can pronounce and understand, is few.
- Of course, you activity has not been limited with only your works. Do you have any difficulty when you are in contact with people, for example, your neighbours, seller in the market?
- Manager of building where I live is Azerbaijani. He does not know English well, and I Azerbaijani. Therefore, I try to speak in Azerbaijani with him. He taught me "nÉ™ var, nÉ™ yox?" (how do you do?) term. I asked what it means, the manager could answer in English and answered in Russian: "Çto yest, çto net?" (smiles) I approximately understood that he means “kak dela?”. I am usually asked "nÉ™ var, nÉ™ yox?". I answer "yax-şı" (fine).
- I paid attention in the events. To my mind, you don’t like meals so…
- Clearly, I eat everything except pork. Of course, I pay attention how much I eat, but I try to taste everything e little.
- You are already in Azerbaijan about 5 years and you had enough time to taste our national meals. What meal did you like mostly?
- Grilled lamb chops (Antrikot) (smiles).
- Could you define top five?
- Grilled lamb chops... barbecued salad (spit-roasted tomato, eggplant and pepper), bozbash...
- (I interrupt him not believing what I heard) Bozbash?! I did not expect this answer...
- Why? It’s so tasty meal. The fourth place is held by saj meals (meals cooked in the iron disk for baking bread). The fifth is qutab (kutaby), but pumpkin kutaby. Your pumpkin kutaby is very tasty. All of your meals are tasty. For example, I also like your chicken reared in village. But you wanted me to define top five.
- I got surprised at absence of dolma in the list...
- Dolma is a good meal, but I don’t like dolma with grapevine leaves.
- Some say they do not cook good pumpkin kutaby in Baku…
- That’s right. People mostly make meat and greens kutaby in Baku. However, I taste pumpkin kutaby when I visit regions.
- By the way, which region do you like mostly?
- Each of your regions is unique. We visit many regions. For example, I like Nakhchivan. I mostly like silent villages. For instance, I visited some villages, maybe you have not been there or heard anything about it.
- What is its name?
- Sundu.
- I acknowledge that I have never been there, heard anything about it.
- It’s a small village and located in Gobustan. It is very silent place and has good weather and inhabitants. I like such places. Of course, Shaki, Gabala, Shamakhi, Guba, Lankaran, Lerik, Khizi are also beautiful regions. I have visited all recreation centres in those regions. But, rural life is different. It’s simply needed to enjoy such places.
- I know that you love Azerbaijanis. What kind of characters of an Azerbaijani can you underline?
- I can underline you hospitality and kindness. It’s too easy to become friend with you. This is a significant and I appreciate it. For example personal relationships with you (smiles).
- My next question may be unexpected for you, but I’ll ask. You are a discreet and patient man. At the same time, you are a driver, in Baku. Probably, you understood what I mean…
- I am only irritated by controlling of cars by your drivers. They drive their car closely to one another. I cannot understand it. Sometimes, I think they will hit my car and a road accident will occur. I drive myself during nonworking times. I try to walk if the distance is short. This is safer. As if your drivers are hurrying up. Sometimes, I witness there is a small place in the traffic jam and the drivers try to enter that place.
- Have you met an accident?
- Once a small accident occurred.
- Whose fault was it?
- I’ll not say (smiles)...
- It’s already clear… Do you remember any interesting event occurred during working or nonworking time?
- Most of those memories are related to your drivers. I can add parking problems too. I could not adapt to parking in the beginning. Then I adapted. In some cases, you park your car, come back a while ago and see that someone parked his/her car behind yours. I’ll never forget Azerbaijani drivers.
- You leave Azerbaijan on September 30. Do you know where you will be appointed?
- Yes, I will return to head office in Manila. I’ll work as the Director of Transport, Energy and Natural Resources Division.
- Several projects have been implemented in Azerbaijan under your chairmanship. What is your most successful project?
- I’ll name some projects which are about to be completed. For example, Ganja circular road, projects of road network connecting several villages are significant. Moreover, water supply project in Nakhchivan is one significant projects. Positive results of this project already appear. It’s difficult to say anything about projects being implemented. However, highway to the south is very significant and effective project.
- My final question is about you relationships with the local economic journalists. I sincerely say your leaving is a great loss for us. You know that we loved you during five years and saw same from you. Now, can say what you think about us – journalists?
- I appreciated our friendship during this period and these relations are important for me. My leaving Azerbaijan is not of great importance because the friendship does not depend on distance.
We saw at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank how the relations between us and media were good. You did what you had to
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