14:00, 25 July 2009

Azeri authorities cut the number of municipalities

A process of enlarging municipalities by merging them is under way in Azerbaijan. The respective law was approved by Ilkham Aliyev, Azeri president, on July 23. According to the document, the number of self-government bodies is to be cut from 2,757 to 1,764.

The municipalities are enlarged in order to strengthen their economic potential and enhance their efficiency. The biggest enlargements and, correspondingly, cuts on the number of municipalities, have occurred in the southern region of Azerbaijan. For instance, in Massalinsk district the number of self-government bodies has decreased almost 10-fold - from 306 to 36, and in the neighbouring Leriksk district - from 99 to 29. In three more southern districts the number of municipalities has gone down 2-3 times over.

In 2008, the overall revenue of municipalities was 43 million manats, which constitutes 0.4% of the state budget. A subsidy of 1000 manats (about 1200 dollars) is allocated annually for each municipality from the state budget.

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent