Azerbaijan able to compete with leading countries’ media environments

There are freedom of speech, independent media and free internet access in Azerbaijan, and every journalist is free to collect necessary information, spread it without any censorship and present it for public discussion, said Ali Hasanov, the Azerbaijani president’s aide, the head of the presidential administration’s public and political issues department.

He was addressing the ceremony for awarding the winners of a journalistic essays competition, held by the State Fund for Support of Mass Media Development under the Azerbaijani President.

Hasanov said that so far there have not been any facts of arrest or prosecution of a journalist in Azerbaijan.

“However some international organizations and circles make unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan in international print media with regard to the lack of media freedom, the persecution of non-governmental organizations and others, thus exerting pressure on the country,” he added.

“Azerbaijani media representatives know better than anyone that all this is the biased attitude, fabrication, and subjective opinion,” said Hasanov.

He noted that the media environment and political pluralism in Azerbaijan don’t lag behind of those in any country of the world.

“Azerbaijan, in this regard, is capable of competing with the media environment of not only of post-Soviet countries, but also of the leading countries in the world,” Hasanov stressed.

He said Azerbaijan’s government and the media policy, which was founded by Azerbaijan’s National Leader Heydar Aliyev, created conditions for formation of free and independent press and electronic media that can represent Azerbaijan within the country, in the region and on international arena.

“Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly held meetings with the media representatives, where he talked about the information policy of the Azerbaijani state, and the policy in the field of press,” he added.

“The president of Azerbaijan has repeatedly said we created and will further create all the conditions for the media, we don’t imagine the public and political life of the country, the government, and the Azerbaijani state without free media,” Hasanov said.

He added that where there is no independent media, can’t be transparency either, and therefore can’t be effective state administration.

Hasanov also said the president has repeatedly noted that today anyone can write about any official, and analyze their work, bring for public discussion all the organizations of state structures.

“But our requirement is that this analysis and information activities are transparent, fair and unbiased,” said Hasanov.

He underscored that every journalist is certainly a representative of the nation and the people.

“In this sense, the head of state has repeatedly said he expects examples of patriotism from the Azerbaijani journalism,” Hasanov said.

“Who, if not you, will promote the values of Azerbaijanism on international arena? No doubt that no matter how much an Azerbaijani journalist tries, he will not be able to present, for example, the French society, the French state, and the national and spiritual values of that nation as a French journalist would,” he said.

Similarly, Hasanov said, a French journalist won't be able to do the same regarding Azerbaijan, as a native Azerbaijani journalist would.

“In this regard, of course, we have certain expectations from the Azerbaijani journalism,” Hasanov added.

He said these expectations are firstly patriotism, objectivity, impartiality and taking into account the state’s and the nation’s interests in all matters.

/By Trend/