POLITICS

Nazim MUZAFFARLI

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Nazim Muzaffarli, D.Sc. (Econ.), professor, Editor-in-Chief of The Caucasus & Globalization journal (Baku, Azerbaijan)

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Introduction

In 2006, Azerbaijan, like all the other Soviet successor states, marked 15 years of its restored statehood: the Constitutional Independence Act was passed on 18 October, 1991. The year 2006, therefore, can be regarded as the point at which achievements and lost opportunities were revised and lessons drawn.

The country conducted a more active foreign policy in 2006 than in 2005, while domestic life was less eventful. The country entered 2006 with a newly elected Milli Mejlis (MM), in which the parliamentary minority, commonly regarded as a real and effective opposition, proved to be very weak. The positive changes of the independence period have failed to turn judicial power into a fairly independent and effective institution. Executive power, primarily the president, retained the lion’s share of the power and governing functions.

Power

Structural reforms. Early in 2006 (on 30 January to be more exact), the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Tourism were replaced with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, respectively. Former minister of culture Polad Biul-biul oglu was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation. Former Minister of Youth, Sports, and Tourism A. Karaev was……………..

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