Azerbaijan’s culture days in Switzerland give rise to scandal

Azerbaijan’s culture days in Switzerland, where various observations on alternative literature and criticism were made created deep panic. Note that Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliev also attended the opening ceremony of the festival.

During a seminar held in the framework of the festival, PACE Monitoring Group former co-rapporteur Andreas Gross made a speech on “Azerbaijan which is rich in oil but poor in democracy.”

Swiss Culturescape organization published culture collection of Azerbaijan covering those reporters who have been arrested for their free way of thinking, those writers who protested against the state rule, etc.

This dispute between Culturescape and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of culture and tourism created serious tension. It was said that Swiss and Azerbaijani culture seriously differ from each other which is the basic ground for dissatisfaction.

“Switzerland is a democratic country. The president here is elected for one year and the mechanisms of adopting decisions differ in two states,” Culturescape director told “Radio Liberty” Azerbaijan.