On January 22, a wide meeting of the Government was held under the chairmanship of the Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev. The Head of the Social-Political Department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, Ali Hasanov, exclusively informed Trend that the decision was dedicated to the decision of the Tariff Council dated January 6, 2007, assessment of the results of the last year and determination of the priorities for the next years.
The State Head supported the decision of then Tariff Council on increase in prices for the energy carriers, communal services and police services, Hasanov said.
Azerbaijan is a dynamically developing country and open for integration into the world community. Therefore, the Government can not artificially prevent the price increase in the country. The development should continue in Azerbaijan. The price increase for the energy carriers should not adversely affect the poor layer of population, but just against should serve the improvement of their living standards, Hasanov said, commenting the results of the meeting.
The poor layer of population will be given compensations at the expense of the State budget, which will receive more revenues from the price increase. One of these days, the President Ilham Aliyev will issue a decree on increasing from February 1, 2007, the base part of the pension, salaries of the employees of all organizations financed from the State budget, especially pedagogical personnel, employees of health and science, State servants and other categories, who can be affected by the price increase, he said.
The priorities were defined as to support the macro-economical situation through increase of salaries, keep the growth rate of the inflation at the same level, and strengthen the financial disciplines. According to Hasanov, the President put forward the conception of ensuring the effective use of the revenues from oil sector and other spheres. They are intended to be directed towards developing non-oil sector and other spheres of the country. In 2007, the State Program will continue, as well as new programs will be adopted for the regional development, development of the infrastructure and non-oil sector.