USAID says US government’s work in Azerbaijan is transparent
The activities of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. government as a whole, as well as tenders for financing projects are conducted in a fairly transparent manner, USAID representative Paige Alexander told reporters in Baku on Wednesday.
"As a representative of the U.S. government, I can assure you that we have taken all possible measures on matters relating to the National Democratic Institute (NDI). We are aware of the transparent nature of the organization's activities, and will continue to strive to ensure the transparency of these issues," he said.
As for incomplete disclosure of the NDI's funding, Alexander noted, modern technologies are always developing, and it is possible for us to catch up with them.
"However, we can assure you that in the future these issues will be closely monitored, and full transparency will be ensured," Alexander said.
It was earlier reported that Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov has appealed to the U.S. ambassador in the country, Richard Morningstar, in connection with the activity of the representative office of the NDI in Azerbaijan.
According to Garalov's statement, as a result of the investigation conducted by prosecution bodies, it was revealed that the Azerbaijani laws on 'Non-governmental organisations (public associations and foundations)', 'State Registration of Legal Entities and State Register' and 'Grants' were violated while the NDI representative office was operating in Azerbaijan.
Moreover the NDI violated the conditions of the 'Rules about the form, content and order of submitting the annual financial report of non-governmental organisations', approved by the decision of the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers dated December 25, 2009.
According to the appeal, NDI offices and regional information centres which were not registered in an appropriate manner and not accredited in Baku, Ganja, Tovuz, Shirvan, Yevlakh, Sheki, Khachmaz and Jalilabad issued grants until July 23, 2012 and have not submitted annual financial reports to the relevant executive bodies after the reporting period was over.
It was also found out that head of the representative office Alex Grigoriev took $1.007 million in cash from an account opened at the International Bank of Azerbaijan, without providing information on the purpose of its use from March 2, 2010 to December 13, 2012.