News in brief

ARMENIAN RECONNAISSANCE GROUP ATTEMPTS TO CROSS LINE-OF-CONTROL

From 01.15 till 01.20 last Wednesday, an Armenian Armed Forces reconnaissance group attempted to cross the frontline from the occupied Ajarli village of Agdam and opened sustained machine- and submachine-gun fire on the Azerbaijan Armed Forces positioned in Yusifjanli village of the same province. The retaliation fire forced the group to retreat. No casualties are reported by the MOD.

TRILATERAL COMMISSION TO MEET SHORTLY

Preparations are currently underway for the first meeting of the US-Israeli-Azeri inter-parliamentary commission set up in 1999, Israeli Charge D'affaires in Baku Shmuel Moyal told journalists Thursday.

Saying that the commission hadn't met in 2 years, Mr. Moyal said he was going to discuss organization of the meeting with leaders of the Azerbaijan parliament.

FIRE DAMAGE TOTALS AZM8BN

In 2000, 2,525 fire accidents were registered in Azerbaijan with total inflicted damage of AZM7,876,726,338. This is by AZM1,969,403,757, or a third, over 1999, according to the senior fire security department.

1,059 fire accidents took place in Baku, causing the damage of AZM 2,292,849,422.

TACIS INVOLVED IN YOUNG AUTHORS PROGRAM

As part of its Program for Protection of Intellectual Property, TACIS is expected to hold an international seminar in Baku dedicated to the problems of young authors in Azerbaijan and protection of their rights.

The two-day seminar will be held at the Music Academy and attended by copyright specialists from abroad.

REAL ESTATE PRICES UNAFFECTED BY EARTHQUAKE

Real estate prices in the capital have remained unchanged in the last 6-7 months, deputy director of the real estate agency "Geo-eco" Ahmad Mammadov told Azernews Saturday.

According to him, in the wake of the November 25 earthquake people are reluctant to buy apartments on top floors of multi-storied and old buildings.

At the same time, prices on apartments in old buildings in the city center have not declined, he said.

QUAKE FEAR FADING AWAY

Psychological aid stations were set up in 5 city hospitals following the November 25 earthquake in Baku. According to the chief psychiatrist of Azerbaijan Aghabay Sultanov, some 700 people had applied for aid to date.

"Since 2001, as fear of the earthquake seems to be subsiding, the number of appeals for medical aid has reduced.

UN GA TO DEDICATE SESSION TO AIDS PROBLEMS

A special United Nations General Assembly session dedicated to AIDS problems is due in New York on June 25-27.

According to the Azerbaijan Center on AIDS prevention and prophylactics, the number of AIDS-infected in Azerbaijan is on the increase. As where in 1990-1995 only 5 HIV cases were registered, the virus was discovered in 229 people in the period between 1996 and 2000.

The news release from the Azerbaijan Association of Assistance to the HIV/AIDS-infected "Imdad" says the Association has asked international organizations to sponsor its participation in the GA session.

UNCLAIMED SNAKE POISON PILES UP

There is over 18 kg of snake poison in Azerbaijan produced in 1989-1996, director of the science and research center Tavakkul Isgandarov told Azernews Monday.

According to him, there are no permanent snake poison consumers in world markets, therefore, the invaluable product is barely marketed. This has resulted in the Center's 6-year standstill.

It has been decided to use the unclaimed poison in manufacturing local medicines.

In Soviet times, Azerbaijan contributed 60% to the world's total snake poison production.

NATURAL GAS TARIFFS DOWN

Since 2001, following the enacting of the new Tax Code which set the Value Added Tax at 18% (as opposed to 20% previously), tariffs on natural gas have been reduced, chairman of the "AzeriGas" CJSC A. Malikov told Azernews Thursday.

Selling price per thousand cubic meters of natural gas to the population has been reduced from AZM35,560 to AZM34,967, for enterprises from AZM108,103 to AZM106,301, for "AzerEnergy" JSC from AZM198,000 to AZM194,700, and for other consumers from AZM240,000 to AZM236,000.

AVERAGE PENSION THREE TIMES BELOW PHYSIOLOGICAL MINIMUM

In January, monthly cost of food products (physiological minimum) per person made up AZM222,830 ($49), according to the Confederation of Trade Unions. The subsistence minimum per person constituted AZM334,680 ($73) and AZM404,960 ($88) per worker.

As compared to December 2000, the indicators have risen 0.8%.

Average monthly wage made up AZM207,500 ($45) in January, while pensions averaged around AZM76,000 (nearly $17).

JOB FAIRS PROVIDE JOBS TO OVER 5,000

In 2000, over 5,000 jobless received jobs through fairs held in Baku and on the countryside, according to the senior department for employment under the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of the Population.

212 people, including 128 handicapped, were employed by enterprises and organizations particularly for the socially vulnerable. 1,881 refugees and IDPs have been employed.

According to the source, the frequency of such fairs will increase, which is expected to facilitate the choice of job-seekers.

INTERNET INCUBATOR BEING SET UP

The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, KOSIA-SMEDA, has prepared the Innovative Internet Incubator project. As a result of the project implementation, over 100 local companies will open their web sites and 80 Internet businessmen trained.

Introduction of the project is expected to boost the Internet resources of business categories representing Azerbaijan on the web and to facilitate the export of Azeri goods and services.

EXPENSES ABOVE INCOME

In January 2001, expenses of the population made up AZM1,570,000,000,000 and incomes over AZM1,419,000,000,000. The former exceeded the latter by 10.6%. as compared to December 2000, population savings have declined 20%, which is largely explained by delaying salaries for the first month of the new year.

TWO-THIRDS EMPLOYED IN PRIVATE SECTOR

According to official statistics, 66.5% of the employed population work in private and 33.5% in state-run enterprises and organizations.

In January, 43,700 people were provided the status of the unemployed, which is 12-15 times below the number of job-seekers and 1.2% of the able-bodied population.

Only one in sixteen unemployed receives the unemployment allowance of AZM79,700, or some $16.4 per month.

NEW JOBS IN SUMGAYIT

The Labor Exchange, male and female barber shops and the Internet club were commissioned in Sumgayit Tuesday. The entities are expected to employ 24 people, including 10 women, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security told Azernews Tuesday.

At present, some 40 enterprises and farms function under the Ministry's employment department, providing jobs to nearly 1,200 people, predominantly refugees, IDPs, women and youngsters. 24 of such enterprises are located in borderline provinces and 8 in the territories liberated from Armenian occupation.

NEW MOBILE OPERATOR TO WORK IN AZERBAIJAN

The exclusive agreement of 5 years ago between the Ministry of Communication of Azerbaijan and joint ventures "Azercell" and "Bakcell" is going to expire this year.

According to the Ministry, another mobile operator is going to appear in Azerbaijan in the latter half of 2001. Asked whether this would be a Dutch or Pakistani company, a ministry source said it had not been officially approached by any company yet. He thinks a greater number of mobile operators will lead to an improvement in services and reduction in prices.

Azernews

AssA-Irada