Will there be a religious affairs council under President?

According to an informed source, a religious affairs council will be set up under the President’s office. The head of the council will also be the President’s counselor.

Experts say establishment of such a council had been necessitated long ago, in particular in the wake of the rising commercialization of mosques. The trouble is that neither the head of the Caucasus clerical office nor an authorized Cabinet of Ministers official has the credentials to control over mosques and religious communities.

A resolution giving independence to mosques was adopted back in the Popular Front rule, which has inevitably led to numerous abuses. For example, many mosques and sacrosanct places have actually been privatized. Their owners have spent money on them and are now trying to make them profitable. Another portion of mosques is supported by various Muslim sects, because they were once built at their expense. The same holds true for the sites of other confessions, missionary organizations active in Azerbaijan. Their activity contradicts the law on religion, but the absence of a supervisory body makes any control impossible.

It is therefore expected that the post of an authorized government representative for religious affairs, which has existed since Soviet times, will be eliminated and a new council appear under the President’s office.*