Foreign journalists are becoming more active in light of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. Baku is a dynamic, developing city where eastern exotica and western modernism are mingled. It is interesting that the character of publications differs depending on the policy of the mass media. The material prepared by Radio Svoboda is worthy of mention in this context. An observer of Radio Svoboda, Oleg Kusov, has recently visited Baku and described his impressions.
An interview was conducted after a report on the Azerbaijani flag in Baku by a correspondent of the radio station, Farid Arifoglu, who managed to extend the size of the flag up to a football field’s parameters. The flag was lifted 162 meters above the ground. It is nonsense to suppose that a flag of 100x70 meters in size (the average parameters of a football field) could take hold in its flagpole.
Kusov visited Baku in mid-April. He managed to debunk some myths and present an objective picture of what is going on in the country, in its preparations for Eurovision. We present you his interview.
- It seems the story is an example of how a despotic eastern government uses its economic resources (in the case of Azerbaijan - oil) for settlement of political problems and for the appropriate presentation of the republic in the international arena.
- It is true Eurovision has two sides: political and musical. Regarding the political side, it is not a secret that the Soviet authorities looked at this southern republic like a fuel station. However, Azerbaijan is a republic with a rich history and great cultural, especially musical, traditions, but this stereotype couldn’t be destroyed even by Kara Karayev, Muslim Magomayev, Rashid Beibutov and Polad Bul-Bul Ogly. It was beneficial for the Soviet authorities to have a republic-donor (only the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan were donors in Soviet times). Soviet Moscow wanted only oil from Azerbaijan.
Today the situation is different. Modern Azerbaijan is trying to present itself to Europe as a state with rich cultural traditions. I think the victory of the Baku duet in Dusseldorf was a big surprise for residents of Azerbaijan. And now they want to show the world that brilliant musicians, singers and composers live in their country.
- President Ilham Aliyev is trying to give Azerbaijan a new image. However, for Europe, colossal projects (a flag the size of a football field; construction of a skyscraper 1000 meters high) seem to be an inadequate demonstration of something. The republic has many unsolved social problems.
- I put this question to people in Baku. Their answer was: if we have oil and oil dollars, it is better to invest them in something material. I have not visited Baku for 7 years and saw a totally different city. Soviet cars had disappeared and many foreign vehicles had arrived. The population is satisfied with the government. The city is getting prettier, meaning living standards are improving too.
- And what about Azerbaijan's provinces? You have visited the highlands of the republic.
- That was the biggest surprise for me. The highlands have excellent football pitches, Qabala International Airport is the fifth in the country. Big hotels and factories. And the people I spoke with told me that emphasis is put on the local labor force. I visited the village of Ivanovskoye, inhabited by Russians of old Christian tradition. Of course they drive cars and wear no beards, but it was very interesting to communicate with them. People do not hide their problems, but in general the local authorities and businessmen pay great attention to them. I think they are sincere. They do not want to leave the country. They have modern houses, cars, internet, they live a modern life.
- The governments of Azerbaijan and Russia have similarities. They are based on economic prosperity and welfare, based on raw materials. Another problem is democratic freedom. Is this true for Azerbaijan? Do you think Aliyev’s regime is firm?
- The Azerbaijani authorities allow human rights activists and the opposition to express their views freely. People trust Ilham Aliyev and trusted Heydar Aliyev. There are certain grounds for this. I remember the early 1990s in the country: it was in hunger and collapse, there was the Nagorno-Karabakh war. Azerbaijan had only one pipeline running through the North Caucasus, but it was blocked in Chechnya. Some presidents would have left Azerbaijan for Moscow or Nakhchivan. But Heydar Aliyev used the chance to stabilize the country using oil resources, by building a pipeline built by the west to Georgia and Turkey. It brings profit to Azerbaijan today.
- So there are no reasons to fear for Eurovision, the contest will be held successfully, won’t it?
- The contest is under close attention from the top officials of Azerbaijan and the Heydar Aliyev Fund headed by the First Lady. Experience shows that in the current situation if the Azerbaijani President deals with something, it is successfully settled.
Radio Svoboda
