Azerbaijan's Aliyev Cancels Newspaper Debts
February 09, 2006
Aliyev said he hoped his decision would encourage the development of a free press (file photo) (CTK)
He said the move will help the development of a free and independent press.
An order printed in government media canceled some $420,000 in debts owed to the main state-held printing press.
The paper published by the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party, "Ses," held the bulk of the debts. But many nongovernmental papers owed significant amounts to the printing house, as well.
The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's office in Baku, Maurizio Pavesi, praised the move and said more should be done to tackle the remaining constraints on media freedom in Azerbaijan.
(AP)