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Public structures under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan's Minister of Emergency Situations Kemaleddin Heydarov and the State Customs Committee collect money from the employees to cover the expenses of the Eurovision 2012 Song Contest to be hosted by Baku, a ministry employee told Yeni Musavat.

The source reports that 3 percent of every salary of around 5000 workers of this structure is transferred to the unofficial Eurovision Fund. The management openly told those who were discontented that this decision was made at the “top” and everyone has to obey it.

Importers of goods are also forced to pay “Eurovision tax.” Besides official and “extra” duties, they are forced to transfer money to the Fund. The Ministry of Emergency Situations also extorts “Eurovision tax” from various entities and threatens those who are discontented to recognize their entities as “accident-prone” or to “find” faults in the fire alarm system and to fine them.

“Apparently, the Azerbaijani Minister of Emergency Situations has been instructed to cover the Eurovision expenses. The Minister does not want to spend his own money, therefore he collects money from his employees,” the newspaper said.