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Gudrat Hasanguliyev: â€œI share concerns over NGOs, but I donâ€™t accept the way chosen for solving the problemâ€ â€“ INTERVIEW

20 June 2009 10:34 (UTC +04:00)

-The education law was adopted. Did you vote for that?

-I didnâ€™t participate in the voting.

-Why?

- Generally I welcome this law, but there is a point contradictory to the Constitution in this law and therefore I didnâ€™t participate in the voting. The Constitution said that general secondary-level in Azerbaijan is compulsory and free. It is a 11-year secondary-level education and the person graduated from this level can apply for university. There is an incomplete secondary-level education, which allows to the students to apply for the vocational schools or to work in the manufactures. Now the secondary education has three levels in Azerbaijan â€“ primary, general secondary and general complete secondary. The general secondary-level is 9-year education and complete secondary-level is 11-year, which is contradictory to the Constitution. Now the students graduated from the general secondary level can not apply directly for university.

The complete secondary-level education is not compulsory now. Earlier the general secondary-level education means the complete level and was compulsory. There are positive points in the law and I consider its adoption as a great achievement. At last the education law was adopted in Azerbaijan despite its shortages and uncoordinated points.

- How do you consider this law: step forward or back?

- The law was adopted. There are some uncoordinated points there. I had some proposals. There is number of issues needed to be clarified in the law. The law considers contests for high and secondary vocational schools, but there are no any points related to the general secondary and complete secondary education. Today most of lyceums conduct admission through the contests. We hope that the law, as a first step, will make positive changes in the education system.

-Do the amendments to the NGO law restrict NGO activities? Does it need to make such step related to the civil society in current situation in Azerbaijan?

-I consider that it doesnâ€™t need. This initiative was forwarded by the parliament State-building and Legal Policy Committee. The ruling party has majority in the committee. I am sharing the concerns of the ruling party and the government over this issue, but I donâ€™t consider it as a right way to prevent expected threats in future.

- What is the concern?

- For example, recently several NGOâ€™s gathered to protest the Israeli presidentâ€™s visit to Azerbaijan and issued statement explaining it as protesting of Israeli actions against Muslims in Palestine. Everybody, who knows politics, understands that those people speak not on behalf of their own, but the interests of some neighbor country. There is no patriotic or Muslim fanaticism there. If they are, why they donâ€™t protest Iranian leadership warmly welcomed Armenians leaders, who violate rights of one million Azerbaijanis in Nagorno Karabakh and took Azerbaijani women hostage? The people faced with tragedies in Karabakh are also Muslims and same nationals with those people. It means that the meeting was held within the interests of some country. We concern that those neighbor countries can use such forces for worst goals in future. I consider that the protest against the Shimon Peresâ€™ visit to Azerbaijan is contradictory to te Azerbaijani national interests.

Recently I read Khalig Bahadirâ€™s publication in Azadlig newspaper about the Amnesty International prize to Eynulla Fatullayev. He said that they tried to pressure on Azerbaijan with this prize. Bahadir said the people who could speak against Azerbaijan were not allowed to address the Amnesty Internationalâ€™s human rights meeting. They said that they didnâ€™t want to voice such thoughts in their meeting due to the upcoming elections in Azerbaijan. They explained that their sponsor recommended them not to raise issues related to Azerbaijan. If the world-known NGO depends on its sponsor, how easy is to influence on small organizations in our country. It means that the pre-conditions are dictated by the sponsors. On the other hand, if this organization uses a prize as a mean of pressure, it is not difficult to think that our NGOs funded outside could be used for some goals.

Therefore it is necessary to have certain regulations, but I think that the way was chosen incorrectly. This amendment will have negative impact on the development of civil society. Unfortunately the methods of protest were also chosen incorrectly. Some political parties try to achieve the amendment not by solving the problem, but the instigating phrases. They know that they have no power, but continue their disgusting statements. They said â€œit needs to threaten the government onlyâ€ in their recent meetings. They try to complicate the issue. Indeed there should be chosen a way toward the solution of the problem. I think the government should take into consideration that this is not a right way and will negatively impact on the international image of Azerbaijan. This amendment will be a document not having the legal force. Azerbaijan joined the Pact on Civil and Political Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and Political Freedoms and our Constitution says that if the international conventions Azerbaijan joined are not contradictory to the Constitution, they have more legal forces then our legislation. It means those conventions have more legal force than the NGO law in Azerbaijan.

I think the government has to disregard the irritant statements and to take contemplated step. I donâ€™t believe that they can achieve anything with the threats. I propose to the NGOs to address the President, to meet with him and to achieve removal of this amendment from the agenda.

- Musavat leader Isa Gambar proposed to restore the Popular Front. What is your opinion about that?

- It is populist and unserious proposal and it was voiced at the protest actions against the amendment to NGO law. I told them that the participants of the meeting were once in the Popular Front hardly avoided confrontations, statements inside it and passed to the third sector. If they escaped, will they return knowing that those, who claim its leadership, put forward this initiative. I consider this proposal unreal and one of their failures.

- Does it need to take such step now?

- Of course, the opposition needs in unity, in cooperation. But today the opposition has so different wings and views that it is impossible for them to come together.

- If the process of restoration of the Popular Front starts, will you participate in it?

- There are national issues that I am ready to come together with all forces to solve these issues. We have different views on the establishing of democratic society. Isa Gambar and Ali Karimli were like firedrakes at the NGO meeting, but the firedrakes are only in tales. I have no willingness to hear the tales and to see such personages. I canâ€™t come together with tale heroes.

- How will your party participate in the municipal elections?

- We started preparations and we will try to participate in the elections together with the parties close to us. We will do best efforts to win. The issue of uniting with BQP and Aydinlar (Intellectuals) Party is on agenda. We have such initiative and we will work to be together with the parties close to us for their views.