Azerbaijan, Baku, March 28 / Trend, K.Zarbaliyeva /
The necessary forces and means have been mobilized to ensure stability and security during the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku at a high professional level, National Security Minister, Lieutenant General Eldar Mahmudov said in his article published by official state newspaper Azerbaijan on Wednesday.
"The Eurovision Song Contest 2012 will be held in Baku. Therefore, delegations and participants from dozens of countries, hundreds of foreign journalists and thousands of tourists are expected to arrive. Important tasks have been assigned to the national security agencies, as well as well as all relevant agencies, to ensure the country's stability and security during the contest. The necessary forces and means have been mobilized to fulfill these tasks," Mahmudov said.
Mahmudov said large-scale regional and international projects have been implemented in Azerbaijan in recent years.
In addition, he said, Azerbaijan has become an arena of large-scale international political, religious, cultural and sport events.
"National security agencies are also actively involved in ensuring the security of all these projects and events," Mahmudov underlined.
As a result of socio-political stability, founded by national leader Heydar Aliyev, active law enforcement policy pursued for the last 15 years, Azerbaijan and Baku are regarded as the republic and capital with the highest rates in the CIS in terms of fighting criminality, Mahmudov said.
"The key task of national security agencies is to ensure the security and stability, and protect independence and statehood of Azerbaijan. Our goal is to create favorable conditions for the state's foreign and domestic policy and reliable ensuring of development. In this issue, of course, every citizen must be vigilant, act from the standpoint of the state and not to deny assistance to state authorities in ensuring security," he said.
The 57th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Baku Crystal Hall, which is under construction near the area of the State Flag. The motto is "Light your fire".
The Baku Crystal Hall is the arena with a capacity of up to 23,000 spectators. Approximately 16,000 people will be able to attend each of the three Eurovision Song Contest live shows in May.
Logo of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest is "Fire Flower", while the motto is Light your fire!
Azerbaijan won the right to host the prestigious European song contest after the victory of Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal (Ell / Nikki) at Eurovision 2011 in Dusseldorf, Germany last May.