A meeting of ASK Commission on “Tourism and Services” was held
On September 3, a meeting of the commission on “Tourism and Services” operating within the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan was held. The meeting was dedicated to the discussion of solutions to problem loans of the tourism industry and state support mechanisms, the decision to approve the “Rules for the organization of hotels in the Republic of Azerbaijan during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.” The meeting was attended by ASK Vice President, President of the Azerbaijan Banks Association Zakir Nuriyev, as well as Vice Presidents Jhale Hajiyeva and Vugar Zeynalov, representatives of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency and the State Tourism Agency.
Opening the meeting, Chairman of the Commission on Tourism and Services Ruslan Guliyev said that these discussions will play a positive role in the preparation of proposals on letters and inquiries from entrepreneurs. Touching upon the current situation in the tourism sector and the continuing uncertainties related to the pandemic, R. Guliyev stressed that together we will overcome difficulties as a result of public-private dialogue.
ASK Vice President Zakir Nuriyev said that a number of decisions on the impact of the pandemic on the economy have been made since March, and one of the commissions established under the Central Bank of Azerbaijan. “The President of the Confederation, Mammad Musayev, signed an appeal to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan to provide assistance to businesses in the tourism sector as a pandemic-affected area. The Central Bank discussed this issue and recommended additional appeals to the Ministry of Economy and the Cabinet of Ministers. At the same time, it was recommended to apply to the Deposit Insurance Fund to discuss with the banks the ways to withdraw the assets of the remaining organizations,” Nuriyev said.
The vice-president of the confederation, Jhale Hajiyeva, suggested that entrepreneurs consult with the bank’s curators on problem loans in banks and NBFIs.
Entrepreneurs then submitted proposals for amendments to the “Rules for the organization of hotels in the Republic of Azerbaijan during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic”, including one-year credit strikes and other support mechanisms.
Samir Dubandi, Chairman of the “DAİR” Hotels and Restaurants Association, said that 15 articles (two of which have already been repealed) had difficult rules, and asked for the development of new rules with the participation of experts.
The representative of the State Tourism Agency Ayten Alizamanli informed about the application of the “Sahman” program in tourism companies and said that it is possible to improve the rules.
At the end of the meeting, ASK Vice President Vugar Zeynalov stressed that the problems will be solved jointly using the platform of public-private cooperation. At the suggestion of V.Zeynalov, it was decided to compile statistics on problem loans of entrepreneurs in banks in order to fully form the existing picture.
Chairman of the commission R. Guliyev thanked the participants of the meeting and said that the ASK will form a new package of proposals and appeal to the government.