Fines for violating the requirements for the protection of cultural assets are being tightened.
Modern.az reports that this issue is reflected in the proposed amendment to the Code of Administrative Offenses, which was discussed at today's session of the Milli Majlis.
According to the draft, for the illegal removal of national cultural heritage objects included in the list of protected cultural assets from the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, natural persons will be fined 3,000 manats (current fine: 1,500 manats), officials 6,000 manats (current fine: 3,000 manats), and legal entities 20,000 manats (current fine: 10,000 manats). For damage to cultural assets resulting from these actions, when causing minor damage (by “minor damage” is understood an amount not exceeding 3,000 manats), natural persons will be fined 5,000 manats, officials 10,000 manats, and legal entities 30,000 manats.
Also, for relocating cultural assets included in the list of protected cultural assets without agreement with the p (institution) determined by the relevant executive authority, as well as for carrying out construction-installation, restoration, reconstruction, conservation works or landscaping measures that violate their integrity and pose a threat to them, natural persons will be fined 3,000 manats, officials 6,000 manats, and legal entities 20,000 manats.
According to existing legislation, for the demolition, destruction, fragmentation, restructuring, relocation, and alteration of the external appearance of cultural assets to which a protection status has been applied, without agreement with the p (institution) determined by the relevant executive authority, natural persons will be fined 1,500 manats, officials 3,000 manats, and legal entities 10,000 manats.
In addition, for violating the requirements for the protection and use of historical and cultural monuments in accordance with the Law “On the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments,” including cultural and natural heritage, natural persons will be fined 700 manats, officials 1,000 manats, and legal entities 3,000 manats. For damage to cultural assets resulting from these actions, when causing minor damage (by “minor damage” is understood an amount not exceeding 3,000 manats), natural persons will be fined 5,000 manats, officials 10,000 manats, and legal entities 30,000 manats. For repeated commission of this offense by a person who has received an administrative penalty within one year from the date the decision on imposing the administrative penalty came into force, natural persons will be fined 1,000 manats (current fine: 200 manats), officials 1,500 manats (current fine: 500 manats), and legal entities 6,000 manats (current fine: 3,000 manats).
According to existing legislation, for violating the aforementioned requirements, a warning is issued or natural persons are fined from 50 to 100 manats, officials from 250 to 300 manats, and legal entities from 1,500 to 2,000 manats.
Furthermore, for failing to immediately stop work and inform the p (institution) determined by the relevant executive authority when a historical or cultural monument is discovered during construction and other economic activities, as well as for failing to hand over monuments discovered or found in treasures to the state, natural persons will be fined 200 manats, officials 400 manats, and legal entities 3,000 manats.
The draft was adopted in the third reading.
