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Azerbaijanâ€™s parliament committee chairman: â€œThere may be new benefits for Karabakh war veteransâ€

04 April 2011 11:12 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov â€“ APA. â€œThere are several topical issues, including amendments and annexes to the Family Code, on agenda today. We amend the Family Code every year. It is dictate of the timeâ€, chairman of the social policy committee of the Azerbaijani parliament Hadi Rajabov told APA. He said according to the amendments, couples have to be medically examined before the marriages. â€œThere are different discussions on this issue. Some people say that the couples will bribe to receive health certificate. I donâ€™t think so. The people should do it like they are medically examined while receiving identification cards or driver license. The second draft law is about the social service and social work. This is also topical issue dictated by the time. We think some social services should be provided not by the government agencies, but by NGOs. These issues will be described by legislation and now are elaborated. I think some of the social services should be tendered between the non-governmental agenciesâ€.

Rajabli said ordinary citizens couldnâ€™t benefit from the social laws because lack of education. â€œUnfortunately some mass media are working against it. I am talking about the demographic security. Instead of to educate the people about the social legislation, to discuss the issue with the experts, they write all the things crossed to their minds about one of the details. For example they describe the law on reproductive health as the law on artificial insemination. Mass media misleads the citizens instead of to educate them. We are talking about the rights of patients. They will try to find faults in this draft law as well. We are defending the rights of citizens and we can not draw a law against the welfare of the people.

Committee chairman also took stance on the information about amendments and annexes laws on polygamy and polyandry: â€œThese are just rumours. Today, a family wants two children. They go to ultrasound examination. See if boy it is okay, if girl then, they do abort. By comparison, 62% of newborns in China consists of boys, 385 â€“ girls. It is already a catastrophic situation. This indicator makes 54-46% in Azerbaijan. According to objective laws, this indicator must be 51-49%. In this case, number of girls decreases in society, but number of boys increases. Consequently, after some time, a girl will have two boys. I think that, we must not disorder biological norms. Several countries in the world have forbidden ultrasound examination and abort. Several countries take different steps for delivery of a child. For example, Russia allocates motherhood capital. Notwithstanding all efforts done in Europe, number of children does not increase there. And Germans receive ready product from the world, allocate quota for migration. But we have not any prohibitions related to ultrasound examinations and abort. There are not such issues in the draft laws we discuss. There are a lot talks on polygamy. I, myself, approach this issue negativelyâ€.

Committee chairman also spoke about the draft law on prohibition of smoking: â€œProhibition of smoking in public places is an issue which may create conflict among the society. One group is against, and another group is contrary to it. We work and discuss this draft law for 7 years. There are a lot of problems in this sphere. But, despite of all it, we will make a decision. Maybe, the draft law will be put up to discussion. The reason of postponement of lawâ€™s approval is unpreparedness of our society. There are several limitations in the law. Smoking and sale of cigarette is forbidden in close areas, at the same time, near schools. Moreover, its advertisement will be forbidden as wellâ€.

Touching upon allocation of targeted social aid, Rajabli said that Azerbaijan used Poland model of allocation of targeted social aid: â€œWe see that the form of this model must be changed. Sometimes, the targeted social assistance creates dependence. That is why, establishment of entrepreneurial activity it is important to give lump-sum. We work on it with the World Bank. At present, discussions are underway on the form of giving the aids. I can say that the assistances may be allocated for establishment of simple, the smallest business in certain sum and once and for allâ€.

He said there will be changes for the disabled war veterans and war veterans.
â€œThere are 13 700 martyrsâ€™ families, 11 000 Karabakh war disabled persons in Azerbaijan. The number of the war veterans is over 76,000. We have a veteran, who fought for five years and was not wounded, and a police officer, who was sent on one-week errand. When we tell this police officer that he is not a veteran, he says â€œI could have diedâ€. Therefore, there is a need to classify the veterans. There are ideas concerning it and they will be realized. Continuous measures are being taken by the head of state with regard to the Karabakh war veterans. Under the instructions of the President, the veterans are being classified and the benefits of the war veterans are being studied. There must be difference between the January 20 disabled person and Karabakh war disabled veteran. One was shot when he was at home, the other was wounded in the battles. When speaking about classification, first of all the persons, who fought, should be determined. There are journalist veterans who were on the battle field for three days, they should be distinguished. Volunteers should be distinguished. It means that these persons will have the status of veteran, but have different benefits. There may be new benefits for war veterans and disabled war veterans, the form of the benefits can be changed. It will be take time, it also depends on the financial matters,â€ he said.