Transparency Azerbaijan: only low and medium level officials are prosecution for corruption

Despite the Azerbaijan's stronger measures to combat corruption, it is necessary to take measures to increase the transparency of the bodies of power, says the report of the Transparency Azerbaijan "Evaluation of National Transparency System: Azerbaijan-2014", which was presented on July 18 in Baku.

The project implemented with financial support of the EU has studied the work of the executive and legislative branches of power, political parties, NGOs, mass media and businesses.

The evaluation was made under three criteria – "competency", "management" and "role in transparency system", as well as under five indicators – "resources", "independence", "transparency", "accountability" and "correctness".

"The strongest resources for combating corruption belong to the executive power; it is in the preferred position as compared with the parliament and the courts. The civil society and political parties have problems with financing, including from the private sector. Because of this, they have a limited capacity to implement the functions of social control," said Mukhammed Muradov, the spokesman of the Transparency Azerbaijan and the Project Coordinator.

The Anti-Corruption Department of the General Prosecutor's Office holds responsible only officials of the middle and lower level, said Muradov.

Vyusal Guseinov, the Secretary of the State Anti-Corruption Commission, has generally praised the report. He stressed that "the study became a result of collaboration of the government with the civil society."