Could a Euromaidan happen on Azadliq Square?

Experiments with colour revolutions successful in some post-Soviet countries seem to continue. Countries with permanent political crises are becoming suitable spots for modeling situations of controlled chaos and further interference in home affairs.

One of the instruments for realization of such projects is non-governmental organizations (NGO). They have been operating in the majority of post-Soviet republics for a long time, actively and flexibly, changing strategy depending on circumstances.

Western funds backed the traditional opposition of Azerbaijan 10 years ago. After the presidential polls of 2003, when Ilham Aliyev won in the first round, the strategy of the civil society changed. An informed diplomatic source told the Zerkalo paper back then that funds operating in Azerbaijan were given orders from their headquarters to refrain from financing traditional opposition parties and change financial streams. Before the elections, the West, mainly the Americans, demanded that the leaders of the pro-Western Azerbaijani opposition unite and propose one candidate. Despite all efforts of the West, the leaders of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party, the National Independence Party, Musavat and the Democratic Party failed to find common ground.

Western NGOs failed to form any significant opposition. Experts note excessive corruption of the civil sector in Azerbaijan. According to Haqqin.az, three funds granted Azerbaijani NGOs over $32 million in 2002-2014, exceeding the volume for the Ukrainian opposition twice over. The Soros Fund – Open Society Institute spent $25,505,000 in Azerbaijan. Gubad Ibadoglu, an authority of Musavat, received grants worth $14 million in 2004-2014. According to Haqqin.az, the Soros Fund issued grants to economic experts Azer Mekhtiyev and frontist Rovshan Agayev (12 grants, 108,613 manats), Sumgayit oppositionist Elchin Gasanov (17,000 manats), oppositionist Avaz Gasanov (17,430 manats), lawyer Intigham Aliyev (83,795 manats) human rights activist Mirvari Gakhramanly (65,382 manats).

The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam) is actively operating in Azerbaijan as an organization supporting well-fed oppositionists. Zokhrab Ismail, frontist Rovshan Agayev and Neyman Safaraliyev received three grants from Oxfam worth 47,760 euros, Gubad Ibadoglu got 17 grants worth 534,254 euros.

Some Oxfam members in Azerbaijan – Rauf Aliyev, Elshad Farzaliyev, Vagif Ismaylov – formed the Aran public association for regional development and received 32 Oxfam grants worth over one million euros, $43,911, and £39,698.

The European Endowment for Democracy (EED) sponsors the extremist media resources of the emigrant opposition Meydan TV, which encourages people to oust the government. The fund spent 300,000 euros on the TV project, allocated 65,000 euros to the bank account of radical opposition leader Ali Kerimli’s paper to cover court fines. The fund of the European Union grants 13,000 manats on training in social activeness of Azerbaijani youth, 50,000 euros to boost the civil activeness of young people and to improve the clarity of state functionaries’ work. Radio Svoboda, Voice of America and the BBC have several local journalists working for them as reporters.

Why does Azerbaijan turn a blind eye to Western funds transferring large sums of money for development of democracy? Maybe th NGOs managed to become stronger in Azerbaijan in the atmosphere of tolerance, democracy and humane policy of the government. Baku is aware of the financing schemes. “On the orders of their sponsors, NGOs make unjustified reports to badmouth the internal and foreign policy, and send them to foreign organizations with a biased position towards Azerbaijan. On the grounds of the unjustified reports, organizations compose and distribute their declarations. At the next stage, the declarations are voiced from tribunes of official quarters and put into records. The absurd list of political convicts, attacks on journalists, human rights are the result of the purposeful provocative partnership,” says Ramiz Mekhtiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration.

“In their logic, Azerbaijan has not made any steps towards progress and democracy yet. They pursue the goal of presenting a horrible image of Azerbaijan to Azerbaijani and international democracy. Such NGOs as the Institute for Peace and Democracy, Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, Legal Education Society, Monitoring and Teaching Democracy Center and others use big grants from foreign organizations under the disguise of human rights protection to send reports to different quarters and organize anti-Azerbaijan campaigns in international structures where Azerbaijan is represented,” says Mekhtiyev.

In his words, finances of Western NGOs managed to form a control point from NGOs and mass media inside Azerbaijan. The goal of Azadliq, Radio Svoboda and other opposition mass media is to badmouth Azerbaijan and trick public opinion by exaggerating minor problems.

The Civil Sector of Azerbaijan: in search of Captain GrantExperiments with colour revolutions successful in some post-Soviet countries seem to continue. Countries with permanent political crises are becoming suitable spots for modeling situations of controlled chaos and further interference in home affairs.One of the instruments for realization of such projects is non-governmental organizations (NGO). They have been operating in the majority of post-Soviet republics for a long time, actively and flexibly, changing strategy depending on circumstances.Western funds backed the traditional opposition of Azerbaijan 10 years ago. After the presidential polls of 2003, when Ilham Aliyev won in the first round, the strategy of the civil society changed. An informed diplomatic source told the Zerkalo paper back then that funds operating in Azerbaijan were given orders from their headquarters to refrain from financing traditional opposition parties and change financial streams. Before the elections, the West, mainly the Americans, demanded that the leaders of the pro-Western Azerbaijani opposition unite and propose one candidate. Despite all efforts of the West, the leaders of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party, the National Independence Party, Musavat and the Democratic Party failed to find common ground.Western NGOs failed to form any significant opposition. Experts note excessive corruption of the civil sector in Azerbaijan. According to Haqqin.az, three funds granted Azerbaijani NGOs over $32 million in 2002-2014, exceeding the volume for the Ukrainian opposition twice over. The Soros Fund – Open Society Institute spent $25,505,000 in Azerbaijan. Gubad Ibadoglu, an authority of Musavat, received grants worth $14 million in 2004-2014. According to Haqqin.az, the Soros Fund issued grants to economic experts Azer Mekhtiyev and frontist Rovshan Agayev (12 grants, 108,613 manats), Sumgayit oppositionist Elchin Gasanov (17,000 manats), oppositionist Avaz Gasanov (17,430 manats), lawyer Intigham Aliyev (83,795 manats) human rights activist Mirvari Gakhramanly (65,382 manats).The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam) is actively operating in Azerbaijan as an organization supporting well-fed oppositionists. Zokhrab Ismail, frontist Rovshan Agayev and Neyman Safaraliyev received three grants from Oxfam worth 47,760 euros, Gubad Ibadoglu got 17 grants worth 534,254 euros.Some Oxfam members in Azerbaijan – Rauf Aliyev, Elshad Farzaliyev, Vagif Ismaylov – formed the Aran public association for regional development and received 32 Oxfam grants worth over one million euros, $43,911, and £39,698.The European Endowment for Democracy (EED) sponsors the extremist media resources of the emigrant opposition Meydan TV, which encourages people to oust the government. The fund spent 300,000 euros on the TV project, allocated 65,000 euros to the bank account of radical opposition leader Ali Kerimli’s paper to cover court fines. The fund of the European Union grants 13,000 manats on training in social activeness of Azerbaijani youth, 50,000 euros to boost the civil activeness of young people and to improve the clarity of state functionaries’ work. Radio Svoboda, Voice of America and the BBC have several local journalists working for them as reporters.Why does Azerbaijan turn a blind eye to Western funds transferring large sums of money for development of democracy? Maybe th NGOs managed to become stronger in Azerbaijan in the atmosphere of tolerance, democracy and humane policy of the government. Baku is aware of the financing schemes. “On the orders of their sponsors, NGOs make unjustified reports to badmouth the internal and foreign policy, and send them to foreign organizations with a biased position towards Azerbaijan. On the grounds of the unjustified reports, organizations compose and distribute their declarations. At the next stage, the declarations are voiced from tribunes of official quarters and put into records. The absurd list of political convicts, attacks on journalists, human rights are the result of the purposeful provocative partnership,” says Ramiz Mekhtiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration.“In their logic, Azerbaijan has not made any steps towards progress and democracy yet. They pursue the goal of presenting a horrible image of Azerbaijan to Azerbaijani and international democracy. Such NGOs as the Institute for Peace and Democracy, Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, Legal Education Society, Monitoring and Teaching Democracy Center and others use big grants from foreign organizations under the disguise of human rights protection to send reports to different quarters and organize anti-Azerbaijan campaigns in international structures where Azerbaijan is represented,” says Mekhtiyev.In his words, finances of Western NGOs managed to form a control point from NGOs and mass media inside Azerbaijan. The goal of Azadliq, Radio Svoboda and other opposition mass media is to badmouth Azerbaijan and trick public opinion by exaggerating minor proble