Turan News Agency, Azerbaijan
Jan 28 2007

AZERI OPPOSITION LEADER SLAMS "CORRUPT" GOVERNMENT

Baku, 28 January: The authorities are enjoying themselves at resort
centres and on [foreign] visits. They do not have time to think of
ordinary people, [opposition] Musavat Party leader Isa Qambar told a
rally today.

This year [President] Ilham Aliyev has stayed in the country for only
few days. He has spent most of his time enjoying himself abroad, the
Musavat leader said.

The current tense social situation in the country is the result of
the brainless and inept policies of the government, which do not have
an idea or a programme on the country’s social development, Qambar
said.

The government remains to be a fully corrupt structure, which does
not care about the people or state needs. Today’s rally is an
expression of social protest. It is not a fight for power. Hundreds
of thousands of people should take to the streets to fight for power.
And they will if need be, Qambar added.

By raising energy prices, the authorities want to collect money from
the people to pay back loans received from international
organizations, other speakers at the rally said.

Addressing the rally, refugees from Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh
blasted the authorities, demanding that the authorities not speculate
using refugees.

"We do not support these authorities and no-one should speak on our
behalf," a female refugee from Karabakh said.

At the end of the rally, participants called on other political
parties to join efforts and attend future opposition rallies.

Police reported no incident or clash during the rally.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress