Addressing the event, Chairman of the International Relations Research Center Rufiz Gonagov said that the Baku-2015 first European Games is one of the significant events to be held in the continent.
Gonagov said Azerbaijan is fully ready to host the first European Games, but some foreign forcers and their supporters in the country are carrying out a smear campaign against Azerbaijan, adding that the Civil Society Coalition “Support for the Baku 2015 first European Games” will be created.
Chairman of the Human Rights and Enlightenment Public Union Rafail Bejanov said the first European Games Organizing Committee, led by Mehriban Aliyeva, the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, continues preparatory work at high level, noting the Games that will be joined by 6,000 athletes and covered by 2,000 journalists is an opportunity for Azerbaijan to bring its realities to the world community.
AZN 960 mln has so far been spent on preparations for the first European Games, and media reports that AZN 8 billion has allegedly been allocated in this regard are groundless, Bejanov said.
Bejanov said that there are some forces intending to discredit Azerbaijan on the eve of the first European games and international organizations such as Amnesty International always demonstrate a biased approach toward Azerbaijan.
Editor-in-chief of “Baku-xeber” newspaper Aydin Guliyev said that Azerbaijan is pursuing independent policy and there are some forces that don’t want to see successes of this Muslim country.
“Those, who are jealous of the first European Games, wouldn’t like the promotion of Azerbaijan’s development as a tolerant and democratic country during these games. These games will play an important role in increasing the number of Azerbaijan’s friends and allies. Some international NGOs and media organizations are trying to discredit Azerbaijan finding partners in the country. NGOs and media organizations should bring our realities and successes to the world community and neutralize the attempts of those who are jealous of Azerbaijan’s successes,” he stressed.
President of the National NGO Forum Rauf Zeyni said he supports the creation of “Support for the Baku 2015 first European Games” that will bring together NGOs and media organizations. MP Agil Abbas said the campaign to discredit Azerbaijan will fail: “How likely is it that traitors in Azerbaijan financed from abroad, for example, the Soros Foundation are independent and patriots.”
President of APA Holding Vusala Mahirgizi said the first European Games is an international sports event.
“Some want to use it for political goals, in order to put pressure on Azerbaijan. I think this Coalition should respond those having such intentions and disclose them,” she noted.
Mahirgizi said human rights are an important issue for every country.
“Human rights are of special importance to Azerbaijan, too. That is because more than a million people of ours have been deprived of their very basic right – the right to live in their native land. Had we seen those international organizations that accuse Azerbaijan make any statement in this respect, other statements of theirs would seem a little bit frank. However, it is now more than clear that the purpose is to pressure the country at any international events,” the APA Holding president noted.
Mahirgizi urged Azerbaijani reporters and civil society representatives to be active on foreign media and social networks.
MP Chingiz Ganizade, Journalist Trade Union Chairman Mushfig Alasgarli, Independent Research Center "ELS" director Irada Yagubova, and other participants expressed support for the creation of the coalition.
At the event, leading NGOs and media agencies declared to have united within the Civil Society Coalition “Support for the Baku 2015 first European Games”. A statement made on behalf of the coalition said the coalition’s goal is to win public support for the high level organizing and holding of the first European Games, and that it also aims to carry out unbiased informative work within the country and make efforts for European countries to have a complete picture of Azerbaijani sports’ development, our nation’s rich cultural heritage, tolerant and humanitarian characteristics, socio-economic development and democratic state building. The coalition will organize conferences, symposiums, exhibitions, and forums with the participation of local and foreign organizations prior to the Games, and will carry out related promotional work on social networks.
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