Vasif Movsumov: “Complaints are from the regions with political activity”.

Foundation for Fight against Corruption has prepared a report on corruption facts in the regions in 2008. We interviewed the chairman of the foundation Vasif Movsumov on the results of the monitoring.

– Mr. Movsumov, according to the monitoring you held in which state bodies corruption facts are more widespread?

– As the monitoring has been conducted in the regions complaints are against local structures of state bodies. The researches show that most complaints are against municipalities, State Roll Service, local land committees, road patrol service, courts and court executors, addressed social aid and pension issues, electric and gas operations offices.

– Which regions of the country have complaints?

– We have accepted all the complaints in general and our researches have covered approximately 20 regions. Even if we have held investigations in Khachmaz, Ganja, Kazakh, Gokchay most complaints are from the Western and Northern regions.

– What regions made fewer complaints?

– The complaints are more in the regions which have strong civil society and social activity. If the Northern and Western regions are stronger the complaints are from these regions. Salyan can be also noted among the Southern regions.

– Are the people seem active in the complaints against corruption?

– No, they are very passive. As the juridical enlightenment on corruption in the regions is at low level and people don’t know how to protect their rights. That is why especially we pay attention to the regions as there are more law irregularities. It is interesting that even Sumgayit which is situated nearby the capital have made few complaints but it doesn’t mean that there is no corruption. In Ganja the situation is on the contrary.

– While speaking about corruption you haven’t mentioned about corruption in taxes, customs service, police and Ministry of Economic Development. Don’t these state bodies have corruption?

– In the monitoring of 2008 first of all we try to learn the situation in state bodies which are in the close contact with people. It means that inhabitants of region complain about the problems they have come across while contacting with state bodies. Court is in all regions and there are many complaints against this institution. The same can be said about road patrol and state roll services and municipalities. To establish internal control institutions was requested in 2007due to the accepted national strategy. But the establishment of these institutions is left on papers.

-Who are not interested in establishment of internal control institutions?

– First of all, no state body can have control over itself. That is why the representatives of civil society must participate in structure of institutions. The information on their activity must be permanently given by executive structures by means of media. But they can not do this self-willed. Executive structures don’t want to give away their position so easily.

– Have you conducted a monitoring among owners?

– According to the results of the monitoring held last year 75% of owners stated about the high level of corruption. The problem is that there is no free ownership in Azerbaijan. If there is free ownership there will be an effect of fight against corruption. But this is obvious that each owner in Azerbaijan is under the “roof”.