Your trusted source

Financial problems forced Azerbaijani Minister of Transport Zia Mammadov’s son, Anar, curtail the activities of the Azerbaijani lobbyist organization Azerbaijan-America Alliance in the US, which aimed at influencing the more powerful circles of the American policy, the congressmen, senators and politicians. Informed sources told Haqqin.az that Anar Mammadov shut down his Washington office a few weeks ago, and the staff is officially dismissed.

According to the information, the step was dictated not only by the economic crisis, which also affected the affairs of huge oligarchic companies in Azerbaijan, but also by the “poor management in the companies” owned by father and son Mammadovs, as well as by large spending.

Moreover, Anar Mammadov incurred huge debts, for which another oligarch, Hafiz Mammadov, accused him of financial impropriety, Haqqin.az reports.

The news outlet also points out Anar Mammadov’s excessive personal expenses, from purchase of a personal plane costing $50 million to construction of a personal hotel in Bodrum.

“Nothing remains to feed the US senators with…,” the website concludes.

According to the American magazine Foreign Policy, Azerbaijan is among the top 10 foreign governments buying influence in Washington. Journalistic investigations conducted by a number of media outlets in Washington revealed that Azerbaijan constantly increases the amount of finances spent on the lobbyists in the US, although without tangible results.

Related:
Rights groups demand Ethics Committee not to hide findings on U.S. Congressmen’s Baku trip 
American expert: Everyone in Washington is fed up with Azerbaijani lobbyists, there are complaints against them