Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 27
By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend:
Council of Europe and European Union presented Oct. 27 a series of new projects for Eastern Partnership countries, including Azerbaijan.
The projects focus on media professionals, workers of judicial system, administrative authorities, and lawyers.
The four projects to be implemented in Azerbaijan under the Programmatic Cooperation Framework in 2015-2017, focus on improving media freedom, capacities to fight and prevent corruption in administrative bodies, increasing the role and capacity of the academy of justice, training judges, as well as specific project to improve the efficiency and quality of judicial services in Azerbaijan.
The 4.7 million euro projects are funded by the EU and the Council of Europe, and are implemented by the Council of Europe.
In addition to these country-specific projects, Azerbaijan also participates in 14 regional initiatives covering several countries.
Head of the Council of Europe's Office in Azerbaijan Dragana Filipovic addressed an event held to present the projects in Baku and spoke about their details.
She said the programs have been agreed with the Azerbaijani government.
Malena Mard, head of EU delegation to Azerbaijan, said for her part that the policy of Eastern Partnership is very important for the EU countries.
She said that today the EU is pursuing a policy that is even more oriented to meeting the Eastern Partnership countries' needs.
Mard, noting that the projects are funded by the EU, the Council of Europe and Azerbaijan, said they cover such areas as the development of human rights, justice, the rule of law, and the media freedom.
"We are proud that we'll be able to work with Azerbaijan within these projects," said Mard.