Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 6 / Trend /
On August 21-27, Elchin Baghirov, the chairman of the Board of Directors of Azerbaijan Credit Unions Association (AKIA) had a study-tour to Poland by invitation of Mr. Grzegorz Birecky, the vice-president of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and the chairman of the Polish National Association of Cooperative Savings and Credit Unions (NACSCU) (SKOK) for exchanging of experience.
On the first three days of tour, Elchin Baghirov met with Mr. Pawel Grjezik, the representative of the SKOK in Warshava and got acquainted with structure, activities of complete work, future plan's of the SKOK.
Next three days, he made journey to the headquarter in Sopot and branches of the SKOK that are situated in Sopot, Gdenya, Gdanks and met with Mr. Wictor Kamynski, the deputy of the president.
The Polish National Association of Cooperative Savings and Credit Unions (NACSCU) (SKOK), which has successfully operated since 1992, unites 62 credit unions with 1831 branches that associate more than 2 million credit union members, with over €4 billion in the authorized capital. The main profit of the SKOK is got 0,4 percent from annual profit of the credit unions.
SKOK works as Holding that there are insurance, MIS, audit, tourism, monitoring-estimate, magazine publication companies and stabilization funds. Credit Unions including in the member of SKOK provided with SOFT Program that with it CUs can contact with SKOK by online and the member of CUs can get credits with credit cards independently of where they live.
Mr. Wictor Kamynski said that in the near future SKOK can help to AKIA by providing consultations and trainings for establishing of its stabilization fund (depozit's garant fund), help in creation of the SOFT Program for its members.
In the time of tour Elchin Baghirov met with Mr. Grzegorz Buczkowski - the director of the mutual insurance society of SKOK, Monica Tarnowska - the chief officer for foreign relations, Ewa Beresniewicz Kozlowska - the director of the MIS program, Andrzej Dunajski - the press spokemen, Maciej Krzesinski the director of development department, Marcin Golas, another representative of the SKOK and Izabela Rutkowska - the head risk manager and Jilita Dembowska - the representative of the Kasa Stefczyk CU, the firs CU in Poland, Michal Bank - the director of the "Bank & Bank" working in Poland and he was acquainted with Kerim Hajiyev - the chairman of the Azerbaijan Poland art center, in Gdansk Mosque.
The chairman of the AKIA went to the museum which gives up to Stefczyk (Mr. Stefczyk was a person who established the first credit union in Poland) and he knowledged with history and activity of CUs.
In the time of study-tour the letter was adressed to AKIA by the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and there had been written that they are ready of helping to relationship between AKIA and SKOK.
The mission of Azerbaijan Credit Unions Association (AKİA) that was found as a Public Organization in 2003, is promoting of expansion of credit union network both regionally and internationally, assistance in foundation of new CUs, holding of trainings for CU members to improve the quality of these non-banking organizations, establishing of relations between CUs and donor organizations, protection of CU rights and lobbying of legislation related to CU operation, etc.AKİA is a member of such authoritative international organizations as the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), the Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU), the World Association of Non-governmental Organizations (WANGO), the Microfinance Centre (MFC).