The Press Council is now drafting a program of improving the Azeri mass media’s economic situation, Aflatun Amashev, Chairman of the Press Council of Azerbaijan, stated at a seminar organized jointly with the OSCE Baku office.

“Thanks to President Ilham Aliev, who allocated 5m manats for an apartment house for journalists we believe journalists’ social conditions will improve. We are also trying to improve mass media’s economic situation,” he said.

It is noteworthy that the Aliev clan has focused its attention on the mass media at its service on the threshold of the November 7 parliamentary elections. During the recently marked Day of Azerbaijani press many journalists received valuable presents. Now the authorities have launched living conditions improvement programs. Interestingly, international agencies, which are allegedly interested in democratic elections in Azerbaijan, have not only turned a blind eye to the overt tampering with journalists, but are also directly involved in the corrupt practice. In any case, the OSCE Baku office staff has not at all been surprised at Mr. Amashev’s statements.