"I just run out of words to explain what is going on. Besides, I cannot comprehend what was the reason for refusal of prolonging license to the TV-channel. At least, I have not heard yet any correct and grounded explanation of this action. Alas, I do not know what will happen to ANS staff. I am very pessimistic on the future of the freedom of speech in Azerbaijan," Shikhlinsky said to Day.Az.

In his turn, head of Turan news agency Mehman Aliyev says that usually, bureaucratic ambages in issuing a license appear in connection with granting a certain frequency, what is not the case of ANS TV and radio-channels, as they have already had their frequencies, thus, there were no technical grounds for closing the channels. "That is why I assess closing of the ANS TV as another step on oppression of freedom of speech. There could have been various attitudes to the channel's activity. But it was different from other TV-channels, because with its opportunities and in the current reality it carried out a balanced information policy, it was outstanding for maximal pluralism possible in our conditions and most of all met standards of Western broadcasting," Mehman Aliyev said.

"Closing of ANS TV is a demonstration of a speeded-up not even pace but sprinter race, the rate with which Azerbaijani authorities have been fighting freedom of speech closing all independent media. I am sure that the decision on closing the ANS TV was taken at the top governmental level," Peace and Democracy Institute Director Leila Yunus said.

Well-known political analyst Eldar Namazov said: "It is difficult to believe that ANS is really being closed. Trust me, inside the country as well as abroad the Azerbaijani authorities will face a bucket of scorching criticism. Let Azerbaijani leadership be ready for it, as it is a real undeclared war to independent media. ANS is the most balanced in providing different points of view, the most possibly independent in Azerbaijan TV-Channel."

As Day.Az learned from sources preferring to remain undisclosed, opposition parties have already proposed to ANS to have joint protest actions on closing the TV-channel. But ANS leadership rejected such proposals. Regnum