POLITICS
BAKU HOSTS CONFERENCE ON MEDIA IN DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY
Baku, March 13 (AZERTAC). A conference entitled “Media in democratic society: international and national experience” was held Friday here bringing together representatives of CoE and OSCE, experts from the U.S., Europe and CIS, officials, MPs and journalists.
The event was co-organized by the Joint Working Group on Implementation of International Standards of Human Rights and Center for Strategic Studies under the Azerbaijan President.
The event focused on the current state of press, freedom of speech, relevant problems and ways of their solution.
The conference was opened by member of the Working Group, judge of the Belgian Constitutional Court Jean Paul Murman who described it as an important event in terms of development of media in Azerbaijan.
Chief of sector of the Presidential Administration`s department for social and political affairs Vugar Aliyev made a presentation at the event who said after national leader Heydar Aliyev came to power again he took significant steps to develop democratic structures, including media.
Aliyev said the fact that censorship was abolished in Azerbaijan by a presidential decree in 1998 gave an additional impetus to development of democracy and pluralism. “Today Azerbaijan is one of the leaders in CIS for the media development”, he underlined.
He said in 2008 President Ilham Aliyev approved a concept of state support for development of Azerbaijan`s mass media, which, he added, opened a new stage for promotion of freedom of speech and information. “In accordance with the Concept, a Fund of State Support for Development of Mass Media under the Azerbaijan`s President was established.”
Chairman of the Azerbaijan Press Council Aflatun Amashov said his country fulfills commitments on media towards the Council of Europe.
“Any individual person or corporate body can freely establish any form of mass media in Azerbaijan.”
Member of Milli Majlis Ali Huseynov said some articles of the Azerbaijan Constitution allow putting international standards on freedom of press into practice in the country.
He pointed out some of the latest amendments and changes made in the Azerbaijan`s Constitution was related to the development of media.
“Azerbaijan`s legislation on mass media meets international standards.”
Other speakers including Spanish senator Manuel Altava Laval and first vice president of the U.S. Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates Mark Vith highlighted the current state of media in their countries and relevant problems.
The conference culminated in adoption of a resolution.