Azeri opposition bloc demands Public TV boss’s resignation

Yeni Musavat, Baku
16 Jun 05

Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat
on 16 June headlined “Our Azerbaijan bloc demands Ismayil Omarov’s
resignation” and subheaded “The bloc also wants the dissolution of
the Broadcasting Council”

A session of the Our Azerbaijan bloc [led by opposition Musavat Party
and including dozens of small parties] was held yesterday [15 June].
The session adopted a statement concerning Public TV. The launch of
public TV and radio broadcasting – one of the fundamental principles of
building a civil society – is the most important aspect of transition
to democracy and one of the main commitments of the Azerbaijani
authorities to the Council of Europe, the statement said.

The Council of Europe demanded that Public TV be set up on the basis
of state TV, that state TV be shut down and that Public TV go on air
on 1 June 2005, the bloc said. This practice has been used in Georgia,
Ukraine and even in Armenia. Obstacles created on the way of setting
up Public TV began after the Milli Maclis [Azerbaijan’s parliament]
selected and appointed members of the Broadcasting Council. “The
regime staffed it in such a way that this immediately elicited
disapproval of the Azerbaijani public and international community,”
the statement said.

Little time remains till the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan
and [director-general of Public TV] Ismayil Omarov has been in office
for two months. “Over this period he was observed ‘settling scores’
in the Milli Maclis on the principles of nepotism – he had a conflict
with staff of Azerbaijani [state-owned] radio and begged that he not be
stripped of the MP mandate. Currently, he is conducting a ‘competition’
among those who wish to work for Public TV. It is alleged that 700
people will be recruited, although the TV channel needs 250-300
employees to function in accordance with European standards. It is
already obvious for everyone that Omarov is creating another nest of
corruption under the guise of the Public TV idea,” the statement said.

The Our Azerbaijan bloc demands that the authorities fulfil their
commitment to the Council of Europe and that Public TV operate
in accordance with its mandate. “The composition of the Public
Broadcasting Council has to be changed by 1 July 2005, and a genuine
public council has to be composed of independent specialists renowned
in Azerbaijan as democrats,” the statement said. The bloc demanded
that Ismayil Omarov – who will never be accepted by the Azerbaijani
public, who was appointed by the presidential administration under
pressure from a tycoon and who is an enemy of democratic thought –
be relieved of the post of director-general of Public TV.

Necessary measures must be taken so that independent and democratic
journalists are represented at Public TV and that the TV channel starts
to operate in accordance with its mandate not later than 1 August 2005.