After the presidential elections held in Azerbaijan, the most discussed topic was the reshuffling of the ruling team. Even before the elections, there were rumors that if on October 9 Ilham Aliyev will be able to stay at office, then in the new team the main gravity center will be moved to the second-largest clan of the country – to Pashayevs, writes the Azerbaijani news portal “Minval.az” referring to “Yeni Musavat” newspaper.

“The main reason of dissemination of these rumors was that at the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013 the Nakhichevan clan that was in power was pressed down, and some major officials that were close to the major oligarchs, joined the Pashayevs’ camp throwing away the “white flag,” the author writes in the article. He notes that the resignation of Misir Mardanov, Education Minister, in May and the appointment of one of Pashayevs’ persons in his place increased suspicion among the Azeris from Armenia by birth that after the election they will face serious losses.

According to the article, Hafiz Hajiyev’s registration as a presidential candidate, who is considered a black-spot for the Azerbaijanis from Armenia, was considered as the preparation of the authorities to the post-election developments. There is evidence that though the government used Hafiz Gadzhev against the opposition, at the same time it was designed to discredit the “Armenian”-Azerbaijanis. According to the author, Hajiyev’s statement claiming that Azerbaijanis from Armenia by birth support him increased these suspicions, in the same time causing resentment within these very Azerbaijanis.

As it is noted, during his presidential campaign, President Aliyev visited almost all regions. And the fact that he did not visit Nakhichevan, gave rise to suspicions that the position of the Nakhichevan clan will weaken in the new team. On October 22 the staff which was to work with Aliyev was published. It turned out that Nakhichevan clan had maintained its positions and the Azerbaijanis from Armenia received the largest piece of the government pie.

As an example the author brings Ali Akhmedov, who previously was at the office of the executive secretary of the ruling party “Yeni Azerbaijan”; he received the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister and supervision of social services and education area. Akhmedov is also from Armenia by birth. Ismet Abbasov who was born in Yerevan, and who lost the post of Minister of Agriculture, was also appointed Deputy Prime Minister. According to the portal, there is evidence that the new Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov has Sissian roots too (Sissian is a region in Armenia-Ed. ).

After the arrest of the former minister Ali Insanov in 2005 the group of Azerbaijanis from Armenia by birth weakened considerably. Recent elections showed that this community still has a serious effect on the opposition. Ali Insanov, who refused to write a petition for clemency, upheld the joint candidate of the National Council Jamil Hasanli. Thus, Ali Insanov, who is considered an authority among the Azerbaijanis from Armenia by birth, joined the opposition. According to the author, the Azerbaijani authorities will sooner or later be forced to release Insanov according to the ECHR verdict.

“Apparently, the ruling power concerned about it, because the parliamentary elections are ahead, and the authorities predict that those elections will be as difficult, as the ones held on October 9. Thrust criticism of the results of recent elections from the West, and the United States in particular, requires greater responsiveness towards the domestic situation from the side of authorities. One of the reasons why the authorities did not dare to carry out serious personnel changes promised to the West is the elections to be held in 2015,” the article states.

“Minval.az” emphasizes, that major personnel changes in Azerbaijan may increase resentment against the authorities that are notably weakened after the elections on October 9; this may result in undesirable consequences during parliamentary elections.
“And the fact that the Nakhichevan clan, which was supposed to be subjected to “pressure”, escaped losing only one of its members – Fizuli Alekperov (ex-Minister of Social Welfare Fizuli Alekperov – Ed.), speaks of the intention of the power to keep the regional balance,” the portal writes.