Corruption in Azerbaijan

During the recent round table conference held in Baku on May 4 by the commission combating corruption it was stated that corruption in Azerbaijan is widespread. It was also said that levels of corruption in the country had become dangerous for the statehood of the country. Azerbaijan has adopted a law for combating corruption, a social programme and a national strategy. But as analysts suggest all these measures are token gestures and there is no significant change in this direction. Different sources of corruption include state budget money received from unjustified oil industry transfers, high costs for state bureaucracy and law enforcement bodies.

In the country there exists a high level of bribery as there is no body in Azerbaijan which tackles the issue. There is corruption in declaring income in the taxation bodies, customs offices and many other places.

As leader of Musavat party, Isa Gambar says the so called shadow economy reaches 60% of the legal economy. He challenges the position that corruption cannot be defeated and he is pointing at Georgia where corruption at consumer level has been eliminated.