“GEGHARD”
SCIENTIFIC ANALYTICAL
FOUNDATION
2024
2024
Unemployment is one of the most serious social problems in Azerbaijan. In the country described as "economically stable" by Baku's propaganda, the unemployment rate is increasing year by year, which in turn leads to a large wave of internal discontent. The regimes has so far managed to silence and suppress the growing discontent in the country.
As of July 2023, the number of economically active population in Azerbaijan was 5 million 224 thousand 300 people, of which 4 million 93 thousand 500 were employed, and 298 thousand 800 were unemployed[1]. According to the State Statistical Committee, as of April 1, 2024, the number of economically active population was 5 million 253 thousand 300 people, of which 4 million 966 thousand 400 were employed[2]. Regarding economic growth, Azerbaijan's leader Ilham Aliyev stated in one of his speeches: "New social infrastructures have been built, more than 3000 schools, 600 hospitals, and about 50 sports complexes have been built in the regions[3]".
Economist Nemat Aliyev, in an interview with Meydan TV, addressed the country leader's speech, noting that the figures presented by Aliyev regarding new jobs have both populist and political aims. "I don't deny that new jobs have been created. But it's unacceptable to manipulate this and create the idea of a decrease in unemployment rates. The State Statistical Committee's data shows that the unemployment rate in the country has not decreased even after the announcement of more than one million new jobs created since 2004. The unemployment rate has even increased compared to the rate before 2004. Therefore, the information presented to the public about new job openings is nothing but creating confusion," said the economist[4].
According to official data from the Statistical Committee, in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, which has a population of more than 500 thousand, the number of unemployed people in 2021 was only 300, which is a directly falsified and ridiculous figure. According to economist Togrul Mashally, the number of unemployed people not only in Nakhichevan but also in other regions of Azerbaijan is much higher than the official figure. "Statistical data shows that the number of wage earners in Nakhichevan is 109,000. A question arises: what are the others doing? The rest are probably considered students or landowners. They are not unemployed, but economically active individuals[5]."
Economist Natig Jafarli told Meydan TV that the official unemployment rate in Azerbaijan is formal and for statistical indicators; it does not reflect reality... [6].
Gubad Ibadoglu, leader of the "Democracy and Prosperity" movement and economist, noted that the economically active population in the country is 5 million 14 thousand 500. Of these, 2 million go abroad to earn a living. A question arises: if there are opportunities in Azerbaijan to provide jobs for these people, then why should they look for work in Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan[7].
Regarding the increase in minimum and average monthly wages in Azerbaijan, economist Nemat Aliyev noteդ that currently Azerbaijan's economy is experiencing shocks, which affects people's lives. Over two years, the average monthly wage has fallen by about half, from $566 to $310. "The banking system has been completely shaken; even the deputies are now admitting this. The unemployment rate is also rapidly increasing, not decreasing[8]."
"Economist Samir Aliyev states that, in his view, the actual unemployment rate of exceeds the official one of 5% by 3-4 times[9].
Azerbaijani citizens are leaving for various countries such as Russia, Germany, Korea, Poland, etc., in search of jobs. According to Migration Policy Institute data from October 20, 2017, 1,147,000 Azerbaijanis had left the country, with 767,000 settling in Russia, 82,000 in Ukraine, 48,000 in Kazakhstan, 20,000 in the USA, and an equal number in Uzbekistan, 19,000 in Germany, and 17,000 in Turkey[10].
As of 2021, there were approximately 500,000 Azerbaijanis residing in Russia, as confirmed by Azer Allahveranov, the head of the Eurasian Platform for Migration Initiatives under the Public Council of the State Migration Service[11].
In 2021, around 20-30 thousand Azerbaijanis emigrated to Germany[12].
According to the European Statistical Office, around 30,000 Azerbaijanis settled in Europe in 2018. This data does not include Azerbaijanis residing in France and Spain[13].
Azerbaijani opposition politician Ali Karimli has recently addressed the growing social problems in the country. "As soon as the oil and gas era ends, Azerbaijan will become one of the poorest countries in the world. We have problems with child benefits, but pensions will also become a growing problem. We are making plans to increase salaries, make education free, but they are even planning to freeze pensions for people with disabilities. And so it will be, because the country's income is decreasing, while expenses are increasing. The leadership is no longer limited to fighting only political activists. Thanks to this leadership, poverty threatens everyone[14].
The opposition politician adds that there are more than 3 million unemployed people in the country: "Everyone is looking for work everywhere (they can't earn a living in Azerbaijan), and Ilham Aliyev has ordered to bring foreign labor to Azerbaijan."
According to Ali Karimli, the educational system in Azerbaijan is also destroyed. In the years of independence, tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis have gone abroad to study. Today they work in different parts of the world and do not return to the country. There is no freedom or human rights in Azerbaijan. More than 8600 Azerbaijani students have dropped out of school due to tuition fees, and today Azerbaijan has invested in the Dubai Education Fund (100 million dollars). This money should have been directed at the education of our children, to ensure free public education. In Azerbaijan, the leaders are a group of people who do not feel responsible to the people, they plunder the state budget in their preferred way, and the people are another group, no longer having any expectations from them[15].
Despite the efforts of the ruling leadership in Baku to present Azerbaijan as an economically stable country, the facts testify that the unemployment rate in the Republic of Azerbaijan is quite high, which leads to mass emigration.
Caricature by Burak Ergin
[1] Azərbaycanda işsizlik səviyyəsi açıqlanıb, https://marja.az/105540/azerbaycanda-issizlik-seviyyesi-aciqlanib, accessed 05/07/2024 թ., 16:36:
[2] Azərbaycanda işsizlik səviyyəsi azalmayıb-olduğu kimi qalıb, https://abc.az/az/news/144391/azerbaycanda-issizlik-seviyyesi-azalmayib-oldugu-kimi-qalib, accessed 05/07/2024 թ., 16:44:
[3] Prezident.Yüz minlərlə yeni iş yeri yaradılıb, https://d9mc3ts4czbpr.cloudfront.net/az/article/prezident-yuz-minlerle-yeni-is-yeri-yaradilib/, accessed 05/07/2024 թ., 17:09:
[4] Ibid.
[5] Azərbaycanda artan işsizlik, formal rəqəmlər və iş tapa bilməyən vətəndaşlar, https://www.meydan.tv/az/article/azerbaycanda-artan-issizlik-formal-reqemler-ve-is-tapa-bilmeyen-vetendaslar/, accessed 05/07/2024 թ., 17:38:
[6] Ibid..
[7] İşsizliyin səviyyəsi gündəgün böyüyür, nəinki azalır, https://d9mc3ts4czbpr.cloudfront.net/az/article/issizliyin-seviyyesi-gunbegun-boyuyur-neinki-azalir/, accessed 05/07/2024 թ., 17:59:
[8] Ibid.
[9] Deputatdan və ekspertdən işsizliyin səviyyəsi ilə bağlı açıqlama, https://musavat.com/news/deputatdan-ve-ekspertden-issizliyin-seviyyesi-ile-bagli-aciqlama_695437.html, accessed 05/04/2024 թ., 18:12:
[10] "Семья не защищена": почему и куда уезжают из Азербайджана, "Семья не защищена": почему и куда уезжают из Азербайджана - BBC News Русская служба, accessed 7/22/2024 թ., 16:06
[11] В каких сферах в России заняты азербайджанские мигранты, В каких сферах в России работают азербайджанцы (sputniknews.ru),accessed 7/22/2024 թ., 16:23:
[12] Азербайджанские эмигранты в Германии: не только политические, Азербайджанские эмигранты в Германии: не только политические – DW – 25.11.2021, accessed 7/22/2024 թ., 16:34:
[13] «Это не жизнь»: разочарование азербайджанских мигрантов в Польше, «Это не жизнь»: разочарование азербайджанских мигрантов в Польше (oc-media.org), accessed 7/22/2024 թ., 16:37:
[14] Parlament buraxılır Ölkənin sosial-iqtisadi durumu gərginləşir Əli Kərimli çıxış yolları barədə, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbPAPZrmbKY, accessed 05/07/2024 թ., 19:09:
[15] Əhali işsiz, hakimiyyət xaricdən işçi gətirir... Əli Kərimlidən absurd qərara münasibət, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k5Iit6on7Y, accessed 10/07/2024 թ., 21:52: