Milli Mejlis approves amendments to the laws on non-governmental organizations and freedom of faith

Both draft laws were approved after the discussions, APA reports. Representatives of the US embassy in Azerbaijan, Council of Europe Information Office in Azerbaijan and other international organizations also attended the parliament meeting.

According to the amendments, the points about administrative responsibility of the NGOs for registration and their forcible registration were removed from the draft and registered capital was reduced from 50 000 AZN to 10 000 AZN. According to the draft, foreigners living in Azerbaijan have a right to establish NGO and there is a new norm for establishing NGO offices and branches.

According to the law, foreign NGO’s can operate in Azerbaijan on the basis of agreement. Huseynov said the proposal of NGO audit was also removed from the draft. The committee chairman said draft amendments to the law on state duty were also removed from the parliament agenda automatically.

The amendments to the law on freedom of faith were approved without changes.

/APA/