MP hails Azerbaijan's efforts in fight against coronavirus

By Trend

At present, in accordance with the president’s instructions, all the attention in the country is focused on ensuring social security, welfare and employment of the citizens amid coronavirus, and the steps taken in this field are commendable, said Azerbaijani MP, Chairman of the Ganja branch of ruling New Azerbaijan Party Nagif Hamzayev.

“Azerbaijan sets an example as a model country in the fight against coronavirus,” said the MP, adding that independent Azerbaijan once again demonstrated its economic and social strength in this difficult situation, when the whole world is facing the coronavirus pandemic.

While a number of developed countries have turned to the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other international organizations for help, Azerbaijan has shown its ability to cope with an invisible “enemy” with its own resources, the MP noted.

"As a result of prudent and timely decisions of President Ilham Aliyev, the situation in our country has stabilized. All necessary measures have been taken to protect health, safety and social security of its citizens," said Hamzayev, adding that Azerbaijan not only has achieved success in the fight against coronavirus, but also sets an example for others in this area.

The MP stressed that the steps taken in the area of social protection and employment during the pandemic, especially in recent days, are commendable.

"Currently, in line with the president’s order, all the attention in the country is focused on social security of the citizens. Within the framework of the state support program, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on people is minimized," he added.

The MP underlined that the instructions given by the president to strengthen the social protection of the Azerbaijani people during a video conference on April 14, as well as online meeting with ministers of economy and labor and social protection of the population, were met with great satisfaction by the society.

“By the president’s decision, the payment of unemployment benefits currently covers 600,000 persons,” he said. "The expansion of targeted social assistance and self-employment programs under the social package project is also in the spotlight. Seventy million manat was allocated from the Insurance Fund to attract 12,000 families to the self-employment program. Entrepreneurs and individual entrepreneurs will also receive social benefits during the pandemic."

By the end of the year, all planned social programs will be implemented, alongside with projects for IDPs and other vulnerable categories of the population, and this is one of the indicators of the great value that the Azerbaijani state attaches to its citizens, said Hamzayev.

The decisions made and the projects that are being implemented once again confirm that all resources of the country's economy are mobilized to protect the health, welfare and social security of Azerbaijani people, concluded the MP.