Obama's criticism of Azerbaijan may be followed by sanctions, civil society activists suppose

The criticism of Azerbaijani authorities, voiced out by President Barack Obama in connection with obstacles to NGOs' activities may tell positively on solution of existing problems, NGO activists hope. At the same time, the official Baku has rejected the criticism from Washington.

When speaking on September 23 at the annual session of the Clinton Global Initiative, the US President named Azerbaijan among the countries where fundamental freedoms are violated.

"We expect that after Obama's speech certain steps will be taken towards improving the situation, since no country can normally advance without civil society," Vugar Bairamov, the head of the Centre for Social Studies and a member of the National Platform of Civil Society Forum "Eastern Partnership" of the European Union, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to his story, the country's NGOs face challenges in state registration and registration of grants. Besides, according to Bairamov, banks increase costs of maintaining NGOs' bank accounts.

The country has an "extremely favourable situation for the existence of civil society," said, in his turn, Ali Gasanov, the head of the socio-political department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan. According to his version, the amendments to the legislation were aimed at ensuring ensure the transparency of the activities of civil society institutions.