AZERBAIJAN: A protest is held in Azerbaijan's capital against the sharp rise in fuel prices

Record ID: 217984

  • Title: AZERBAIJAN: A protest is held in Azerbaijan's capital against the sharp rise in fuel prices
  • Date: 29th January 2007
  • Summary: (BN15) BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (JANUARY 28, 2007) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS MARCHING CARRYING NATIONAL AZERI FLAG CROWD SHOUTING MUSAVAT, NAME OF OPPOSITION PARTY WHICH MEANS EQUALITY VARIOUS OF CROWD STAGING RALLY BANNER SAYING IN AZERI 'NO TO INCREASE OF PRICES' OPPOSITION LEADER ISA GAMBAR AND 'HANDS OFF OUR WALLETS' (SOUNDBITE) (AZERI) ISA GAMBAR, LEADER OF OPPOSITION PARTY MUSAV
  • Embargoed: 13th February 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Azerbaijan
  • Country: Azerbaijan
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA64F6RH7VKD0Y7UPB7FLGLUEDI
  • Story Text: More than thousand people demonstrated in Azerbaijan's capital of Baku to protest against a sharp rise of utility prices and high inflation. The sanctioned protest was organised by the energy-rich nation's main opposition party Musavat and called for the people to stand up for their rights. About 1,500 opposition supporters took to the streets of the Azerbaijani capital on Sunday (January 28) to protest against soaring inflation in the oil-producing Caspian Sea state.
    Waving national flags, and holding banners reading "No to the increase of prices" and "hands of our wallets" the protesters marched to a square in the outskirts of Baku in a sanctioned rally against the recent hikes in Azeri's domestic utility rates.
    It was the first sanctioned rally after police used truncheons to break up a rally on Friday (January 26).
    "We call upon every self-respecting citizen to stand up for their rights and show resistance [towards government policy]. Only our joint struggle can put an end to the criminal activities of our authorities. We have to silence them and take our point of view into consideration. I call upon you to fight. Our Musavat party will continue to fight for our rights," said Isa Gambar, leader of the opposition party Musavat.
    Azerbaijan earns billions of dollars from oil. Its revenues rose sharply last year when a new BP-led pipeline opened and started pumping oil direct from the Caspian Sea to markets in the West.
    The oil rush fuelled a 35 percent growth in the economy last year -- one of the fastest in the world -- spurring inflation which is approaching double figures. Economists say the government's heavy spending is helping fuel the price rises.
    President Ilham Aliyev has ruled Azerbaijan since 2003. He has said the price increases were the result of market reforms to end Soviet-era subsidies.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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