Azerbaijan: experts and oppositionists are sceptical about the new Cabinet

Independent experts and oppositional politicians are sceptical about the new Cabinet of Ministers, approved by President Ilham Aliev on October 22. They believe that the preservation of the majority of former ministers indicates the absence of the government's aspirations for reforms and an attempt to strengthen its position.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the October 9 presidential election was won by Ilham Aliev who was elected for his third term. According to the Constitution of Azerbaijan, with the advent of the newly elected president, the government should resign. The National Assembly of Azerbaijan has re-approved Arthur Rasizade, 78, as Prime Minister. Under the Constitution, other members of the government are appointed by the President alone without any consent of the Parliament.

"The approval of the new Cabinet of Ministers, where most ministers have preserved their posts, shows that their goal is not to carry out reforms and address the country's pressing problems, but to preserve the power. In general, the authorities deny the existence of any serious problems in the country; therefore, there are no grounds to expect from them any efforts to eliminate corruption and make political reforms," Arastun Orudjlu, the head of the "East-West" Research Centre, told in his interview with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Sardar Jalaloglu, the leader of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA), has noted that "the absence of any refreshment of the cadre leads to stagnation in state management, which will inevitably result in a crisis of the governance at all."