To be more Catholic than the Catholics themselves, Azerbaijan case

Interview of the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan Razi Nurullayev on latest political developments in the country

– Mr. Nurullayev, it is assumed that the arrest of Ali Kerimli may scare those who want to go to the Karabakh rally. What do you think?

– No, this is not serious. The organizers of the Karabakh rally, in fact, do not think to hold an unsanctioned action or rally. Maybe there is such an attempt, but I do not know about it. The Karabakh rally is enveloped in the spirit of politics, and it cannot have any connection with the current events and have an influence on them.

– “Musavat” party chairperson Arif Hajili says that today the force capable of shaking up the situation in Azerbaijan is not only Abel Maharramov (a dismissed rector of Baku State University). That is, there are more serious forces inside the authorities, and the time for change is approaching. What do you think about this? Is the political situation really tense?

– For 30 years now, we keep hearing such judgments and, in truth, are already tired of reiteration. Before there were more serious and more significant political events than the present. In addition, in those days, the opposition was 1000 times more powerful and powerful. And where are these changes? Is the problem of Abel Maharramov more serious, influencing and accusatory than the arrest of Farhad Aliyev and Ali Insanov (former ministers in the Azerbaijani government), the attempts of Rasul Guliyev (former head of Parliamentç now residing in the USA) to return to Azerbaijan, the issue of “Gulergate” (exposing videos on Parliamentary elections), the gang of the former national security forces and ten similar other events?

Abel Maharramov allegedly took out and brought in two tons of wine, but a little in a high tone spoke with his friends and acquaintances, made a couple of political mistakes and as a result fell into disfavor of the authorities. He did not rebel … There are guys who attempted taking dollars out of the border in lorries, stuffing the plane with dollars, tried to escape or used ships to take out wealth for billions. In any case, it was claimed, the press wrote a myriad of exposing articles. But there are also proven facts: more than 8 billion were stolen from banks; look at how many banks have closed, how many managers and owners of banks have been arrested.

All this did not shake the ruling party, but now Abel Maharramov will throw off this power and open the way to power for those who instilled in you this blubber?

Mr. Nurullayev, what cards do you think can be revealed?

Disclosure cards attract attention in big games. Not at all, any disclosure of cards in this situation. Traditional actions and traditional approaches. Disclosure of cards created an awkward position for those, who have been keeping the reins of opposition since the late 80s, almost three decades. When we were united as opposition, at least 500-1000 activists gathered in front of police stations and courts should any opposition leader or activist detained. This time only around 30 people came to the defense of Ali Kerimli, who also claims for popular front party leadership. Half of those were journalists. This is a tragedy, and this tragedy was not created by Razi Nurullayev, but by Ali Kerimli himself. Let them think now deeply. By the way, this is a tragedy not only for Ali Kerimli, but for the entire traditional opposition. The same fate awaits them. If they are detained, even those 30 people will not come to their trial.

– On November 17, on the Day of Revival, the parties, political forces having been created at that particular time celebrated this day, breaking up into separate groups. An indicator of what is such a fragmentation?

– it is the indicator of the instability of the traditional opposition. People, voters really hate to see it. How can those who stand alone on this sacred day rejecting integration ask for support from the people? Even if asked, the people will not support them. Now voters can perfectly distinguish the bad from the good. When the chairman of “Yurd” (an organization created early 90s) organization was detained (Ali Kerimli, who also claims to the name of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA)), representatives of the traditional opposition protesting against this were tearing at his shirt, and one of them, trying to be more Catholic than the Catholics themselves, claimed that he would come out of there as president. If you really think so, why then you each stand on either side of the trench, pouring dirt on each other? Why you then not take a seat next to Ali Kerimli? Is it not duplicity and bluster?

In the reports of the arrest, Ali Kerimli, was presented as the chairman of the Popular Front Party …

– The fact that Ali Kerimli, was presented as the chairman of PFPA by the government and state-controlled media is a tragedy of the government itself. More or less independent and opposition media never call him as such. They mostly refer to me and him as claimants to the name of Popular Front Party.
The Ministry of Justice refused to recognize him as chairman of the PFPA. Cases are subject to judgment. The Ministry of Justice is not a department or department of the party headed by Razi Nurullaev. This is a state structure stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and all should respect its decisions. If the authorities do not respect the decision of their own government, then this is their problem.

In addition, this problem gives rise to reasonable suspicions about the existence of a connection between the authorities and him.

November 21, 2018