We should not politicize the situation with the media organizations. All issues should be settled in a legal platitude, Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan President, said commenting the last developments with the mass media in Azerbaijan during the today interview to National TV Channel AzTV.
According to the Head of the Azerbaijani State, the opposition is politicizing Azadlig Newspaper editorial moving to other office, and presenting it as a wish of the authorities to stifle the opposition print. On the contrary, we are creating perfect conditions for them, and we are going to settle them in Publishing House Azerbaijan where many other printing media sources work, Mr. Aliyev said. There is the freedom of word and the freedom of print in Azerbaijan, and no one should have doubts in this respect. I believe that in the future, these process will develop even more rapidly in the country, said the Head of the Azerbaijani State.
The President said that the situation over the broadcasting of ANS TV and Radio Company is a subject of discussions, and it should not be considered from a political viewpoint. He said that he had assisted in strengthening the independent press for many times, particularly ANS. However, each issue should be settled within the existing legislation, and no exceptions should be given to anybody. The Azerbaijani President said that in some cases, representatives and leaders of certain media sources thought that they had any privileges. At the same time, the State Bodies, the national TV and Radio Council have their fair claims and grounded demands to be observed by the media sources. I think that such issues might be settled in a normal way and with kind intensions. If all demands and forewarns are fulfilled, then the activity of the TV Channel might be resumed, the President said.
I wish Azerbaijan to be a modern and prosperous country. It should be strong from an economic point of view, open to all countries, ready to cooperation, fight for its stance, possess a powerful army, restore its territorial integrity, and I shall do my best to achieve it. Nobody and nothing can derail me from this way, said Mr. Aliyev.