Azerbaijan's economy requires an active implementation of reforms, and the referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution of the republic held on Monday has created all the necessary conditions for it, chairman of the Center for Economic and Social Development Vugar Bayramov said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.
"This referendum was very important for the implementation of economic reforms. Considering the creation of the institute of vice-presidency, it can be assumed that economic reforms will receive much more attention, since now their implementation will be carried out under the control of a single government institution," he pointed out.
"I must admit that the Cabinet of Ministers could not handle the tasks in this area. Changes in the Constitution should create conditions for effective management in the implementation of these reforms - and now there is an urgent need to change the economic model of Azerbaijan," the expert stressed.
Vugar Bayramov recalled that a special dynamics in the implementation of economic reforms in the republic appeared after the post of assistant to the president on economic reforms was created. Right now Natig Amirov is on this post. But now the expansion of presidential authority will create more favorable conditions for large-scale reforms. "After the referendum it will be possible to implement a new economic model based on the new 'road map'. As far as I now, it is already prepared and will soon be presented to the President," he said.
Speaking on the abolition of age requirement for posts in all branches of the government, Vugar Bayramov noted that it will allow to carry out personnel reforms, so that young people with reformist views could lead the country, which corresponds to the trend of modern time.
"The new economic model requires young people, whose world outlook corresponds to modern economic realities. The referendum should also be assessed as a manifestation of the political will of the country's leadership in personnel reforms," the expert believes.
Overall, in his opinion, the strengthening of presidential authority in Azerbaijan is very important in the current conditions. "We can see that the most advanced reforms in the country are carried out on the President's initiative. A great example of this is ASAN service, because it was a personal initiative of President Ilham Aliyev, which became the most successful anti-corruption project," he concluded.
