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Azerbaijan faces very high corruption risks in the defence and security sector, according to the latest Government Defence Anti-Corruption Index (GI) by Transparency International http://government.defenceindex.org/downloads/docs/azerbaijan.pdf.

The level of corruption in the countries was assessed using 77 various indicators. Each country received scores ranging from A (very low) to F (critical). Azerbaijan’s GI ranking in Band E placed it in ‘the very high risk category.’

According to the report, the constitution of Azerbaijan formally affords Parliament - the Milli Majlis – the power to oversee and scrutinize defence policy. In practice, however, the legislature lacks independence and influence. Key decisions regarding defence policy are usually made by executive order rendering Parliamentary debate on defence issues a largely symbolic enterprise. Parliament had little to no influence over the country’s National Security Concept, adopted in 2007, nor its official Military Doctrine, adopted in 2010. While the Milli Majlis has a legislative committee that exercises budgetary oversight over national defence issues, Parliament plays virtually no role in shaping the budget and does not amend it.

Transparency International notes that while Azerbaijan increased its defence spending by 27% in 2015, little information is available regarding how spending has been allocated. In addition, there is little evidence of effective internal or external audits. The 2012-2015 National Anti-Corruption Plan has not still been effective.

The countries placed in Band A of the GI ranking are the UK and New Zealand. Among those in Band B are the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore and Sweden. Italy, France, Georgia and Spain are placed in Band C; Armenia, Portugal, Ukraine, Turkey and Russia – in Band D. Azerbaijan shares Band E with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and others. Egypt, Iraq and Kuwait are among the countries that scored worst.

In November 2015, Caspian Defence Studies Institute published a final monitoring report, stating that the defence and security sector in Azerbaijan is not open to the public, while corruption and crimes taking place in the army are being hidden.

According to Transparency International’s ‘State of Corruption: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova And Ukraine’ report, corruption in Azerbaijan is widely perceived to be endemic and deeply institutionalised – permeating all spheres of public life, with entrenched political patronage networks and widespread conflicts of interest closely connected to the political elite.