World's best airport in a country with best camouflage skills

So The Jakarta Post published this list of 13 best airports in the world. It is awesome to see Azerbaijan's new international airport featured on the list, and I am not surprised our media outlets picked up on the story.

What is however interesting is that how Azernews does not mention much about tourism stats or the point Jakarta Post makes about the importance of airports:

According to Citylab, airports play a crucial role in economic development as it moves people. The number of passengers and flights is said to be related to economic output, wages and income. Fortunately, more and more airports are being upgraded and modernized, giving comfort to passengers and supporting a country's economy.

According to the most recent stats, as shared by the Ministry of Culture, a total of 1.8million tourists visited Azerbaijan in 2017. The highest number of tourists are from Russia, followed by Georgia, Iran, Turkey, UAE, and others.   

And yet, our own citizens prefer going to neighboring Georgia for holidays such as New Year. The close distance, lower prices, friendly environment are certainly important in this decision. Even though Azerbaijan Tourism Association disagrees. It is not the low prices that attract Azerbaijani tourists but the closeness of the country. I think we should ask Azerbaijanis who travel there. I am sure price, quality and diversity would certainly have something to do with it. It is also easier to travel to Georgia as there are no visa requirements and although Azerbaijan is working to improve its visa handling through notorious ASAN service we are yet to see the results and impact on the country's tourism industry.

Now back to the discussion of economic development and the role of the airports. Y'all know about levels of corruption in Azerbaijan so who knows how much money was swept under the carpet during the construction of this airport. And since Y'all know all about how "caring" our leadership is towards its people, I don't have to tell you that the only economic development that can be a topic of discussion in Azerbaijan, is the economic wealth of the ruling family and its closest. 

Independence of institutions are nominal and all of the power is vested within the executive. The imitation of the multiparty system has been stellar even though those who are familiar with the country are aware that this is indeed an imitation and tolerance only extends to those parties who are supportive of the regime and its policies. Within such carefully built system, it is not surprising that the country's economy is and its capital is divided among families and the rumors of vibrant economic development are just rumors (or perhaps they are affecting state coffers only while leaving the general public out). 

According to this report, while in developed countries GDP per capita aligns with the average salary level, in Azerbaijan, the GDP per capita is almost 10 times the average salary. 

So while its great that Azerbaijan's international airport made it into the ranking, it would be grand to see the local media cover the economic development aspect with a bit more realistic analysis but then, if Azernews did that, it is likely it won't be around and available to its readers which is the case with a number of other independent and opposition media. But that's another blog entrance. 

Now, while I recommend visiting my beautiful home, I suggest staying away from glitz and glamor that sometimes can be too much and visit the countryside, go hiking in the mountains and enjoy the delicious national cuisine. And bear in mind that there are many hidden stories of struggle, poverty, and corruption on the streets of the City of Winds. 

A mentality that killed a hostel

The mentality is a common term used in Azerbaijan in cases when it often has to do with women's rights, gender equality, domestic violence, rape, early marriage, abuse, harassment, and of course anything that is new, and unfamiliar. 

When you are beaten at home by your husband, it is against our mentality to say anything. And even if you do reach the police, they will say it is your fault. So go home, and be a woman according to Azerbaijani mentality. 

If you are raped by someone in your family, you do not talk about it because it is against our mentality. It happens, perhaps he had his best intentions at heart. Be a proper daughter, sister, niece, or whoever you are in the family household and keep it quiet according to Azerbaijani mentality. 

It is against mentality to go on dates to get to know your future partner because alas you find out he/she is a psychopath. No, you can only find out about that after you are married and who cares what happens after that. It is against Azerbaijani mentality to poke your nose into other family businesses (which is also not true as everyone pokes their nose into family business).

If you are married off at an early age, those doing this to you, think it is in accordance with norms of Azerbaijani mentality because who cares about giving this young girl a life and a future, alas, that is not according to Azerbaijani mentality. Because a woman's place is being a servant. Nothing more. 

Nightlife for unmarried women is against mentality. Being an independent is against mentality. Deciding not to have kids right after you are married is against mentality because if you don't start popping them out of the oven, something has to be wrong with you or your husband but it is often you because it is never the husband as that too is against Azerbaijani mentality to ever question the husband. 

Mentality or "mentalitet" in Azerbaijani is our rock that keeps pulling our society to the depth of the Caspian Sea because it is certainly preventing our young generation from development (of course in addition to the terrible education system, non-existing social services and so on). 

Why am I writing about this all of a sudden? Well, you will be surprised when I tell you that in Baku, the booming capital of modernity, the city that is advertised in glossy magazines, just had a hostel shut down because of guess what... yes! mentality! 

A young entrepreneur decided to open a hostel encouraged by the state tourism policy. He converted an old apartment into a hostel offering great services and quickly gaining prominence among guests. But little did this young entrepreneur know that an evil neighbor who rents out flats on floors above the hostel will get all furious in his dirty sick little old mind and complain about the hostel calling it a whore house.  

Did he for once even visit the place? No! The owner tried finding a common language but when an old pervert thinks it's a whorehouse, it must be a whorehouse because there cannot be any other way. Because going against elders is also against Azerbaijani mentality. So the old man tried everything including the local district police department (this was his last resort as all the others started ignoring the old man after realizing he was simply against the idea of a hostel).  He was personally received by the head of the district police whereby the two agreed without letting the hostel owner explain anything that the hostel must close regardless of the fact if there any guests staying there, or booked to come. 

But the actual mentality bomb was dropped by the head of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who said hostels were against Azerbaijani mentality. 

And this my dear readers is how mentality killed a perfectly normal hostel business that was totally legal, matching all the requirements and simply an act of good investment. But alas, turns out, even hostels are against our mentality. 

Azerbaijanis' holidays

Most recent article I wrote for Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso. You can follow the link or read the full article here.

Azerbaijanis' Holidays