Details added (first version posted on 16:21)
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17
By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend:
Azerbaijan will successfully complete 2018, Azerbaijani President’s Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov said.
He was speaking March 17 at the awarding ceremony of winners of the individual journalistic works contest held on the occasion of the Novruz holiday by the Media Development State Support Fund under the President of Azerbaijan.
“It is a great honor for me to communicate with journalists, being among the journalists gives me strength,” he said. “Journalists convey the problems of the state and the people to the necessary circles, through them we establish relations both with our society and the world.”
He added that the year 2017 in the development of the Azerbaijani state was successful. Projects on state development, social and other planned projects are being successfully implemented, he noted.
“Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also said about this at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers,” Ali Hasanov said. “Important events await us in 2018. The most important among them is the presidential election to be held on April 11. Pre-election campaign will start March 20 and will last until April 10. I’m sure that you are ready for this campaign, which will mainly involve the media. When taking part in the upcoming presidential election as citizens, you will express your opinion regarding the candidates, and you will directly cover the election.”
He noted that this year Azerbaijan will hold events in connection with the centennial of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic.
“I believe that the year 2018 will be fruitful, and you will have enough space for your activities,” Ali Hasanov said.
He added that the media policy established by the national leader Heydar Aliyev, is successfully pursued today by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Vugar Safarli, executive director of the Media Development State Support Fund under the President of Azerbaijan, noted that the Fund is carrying out a number of activities for the development of the media and improving the financial situation of journalists.
“About 10 such competitions are held every year, and about 600 contest winners were awarded during the year,” Safarli said.
He noted that this year’s contest was held on the eve of the Novruz holiday. Sixty-seven mass media outlets took part in the contest, while 169 works were admitted to the contest, he added.
“The works submitted for the competition were evaluated by experts and six winners were announced in each sphere,” Safarli said. “One person took the first place, two persons took the second places and three persons took the third places in each sphere. A total of 90 winners were announced in 15 spheres.”
Then the winners of the contest were awarded.