CESD recommends Structural Reforms in Azerbaijan

Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD) offers new structural reforms in Azerbaijan in order to fight corruption. CESD experts mentions that in order to achieve efficiency in governance and to effectively fight against corruption and bureaucratic impediments, some government institutions should be merged and some of them must be given independent status. “Structural reforms should cover different areas of economic management.”

Recommended reforms include:

Abolishment of “Azersu” OJSC and Amelioration & Water Supply OJSC; creation of State Water Agency based on these two bodies;

Azerenerji OJSC should be merged to State Oil Company;

State Customs Committee should be abolished and merged to the Ministry of Taxes as a separate department;

Ministry of Agriculture should merge to the Ministry of Economic Development;

State Social Protection Fund should merge to the Ministry of Social Protection of Labour and People as a separate department;

Anti-Corruption Department  under the Ministry of Economic Development should be given independent status.

 

The CESD experts mention that in all CIS countries there is a Competition Protection Agency. “We propose to give more rights and authority to the Agency in order to prevent market intervention. Moreover, we suggest the abolition of the Ministry of Industry and Energy, and transferring its authority to the State Oil Company.  The creation of a Fuel and Energy Department under the Ministry of Economic Development is also necessary.  Supervisory Boards should be created in ministries that work with people on a daily basis. In addition to the presence of government institutional members, members of civil society organizations should also be represented on these boards.”