Details added (first version posted on 9:56)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 20

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is taking part in the ceremony of presenting apartments to journalists on the occasion of the National Press Day in a newly built building July 20.

The president met with media representatives and delivered a speech at the ceremony, and met with media representatives.

Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijani president’s aide for public and political affairs, Vugar Safarli, executive director of the country’s State Fund for Support to Development of Mass Media under the president of Azerbaijan and Aflatun Amashov, chairman of the country’s Press Council, informed the president that there are 255 apartments in the second building built for journalists.

The total construction area of a three-block 17-storey building, built upon the Azerbaijani president’s order "On Additional Measures to Strengthen Social Protection of the Azerbaijani Press Representatives" dated July 22, 2013, is 34,000 square meters.

There are 9 one-room apartments, 144 two-room apartments, 93 three-room apartments and 9 four-room apartments. There is also a sports ground in the yard.

Ilham Guliyev, editor-in-chief of the Kaspi newspaper, Mehriban Mammadova, director of the Department of Information Programs of the Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC and Aflatun Amashov, chairman of the Press Council, expressed gratitude to the president for the great attention and care rendered to media representatives.

President Ilham Aliyev was also presented with the "Friend of Journalists" award.

The president cut the ribbon symbolizing the commissioning of the building.

The president reviewed the conditions in the three-room apartments and four-room apartments of the building.

Then President Aliyev laid the foundation of the third residential building, which will be built for journalists.

The third building will include 255 apartments. Thus, the total number of apartments in all three buildings will reach 665.