“The Ramiz Mehdiyev incident” discussions never cease. The accusations (“treason”, “forcible seizure of power”, and “legalization of criminally obtained property”) brought against the 87-year-old academic, who led the Presidential Administration for many years, have dropped like a bombshell on the country's agenda.
Considering Ramiz Mehdiyev's long-standing role in the political-administrative system, his influence on the governance processes of Baku city cannot be overlooked.
What were Mehdiyev's relations with the individuals who played a role in the capital's administration during his years of activity – that is, with Baku's former mayor and those in the city's Executive Power system?
Ramiz Mehdiyev's long-term influence in centralized governance (as head of the Presidential Administration between 1995 and 2019) increased his power of impact on the local governance system.
The function of the capital's mayor or head of the city's Executive Power holds special importance for Baku. Naturally, directives from the central government and relations with influential officials do not pass without affecting the mayor's activities.
For a person with influence at the center, like Mehdiyev, cooperation, accountability, and sometimes even conflict with Baku's mayors should not be considered an exception.
Thus, when Mehdiyev's name comes to the fore, Baku's mayors are also remembered. So, who has led the Baku City Executive Power since independence?
Modern.az website briefly reminds readers of Baku's former mayors:
After the Republic of Azerbaijan gained independence, the first head of the Baku City Executive Power was Aghasalim Baghirov. He served in this position from April 15 to July 4, 1992.
A. Baghirov worked as an economist-engineer at the Ministry of Meat and Dairy Industry of the Azerbaijan SSR. Subsequently, for 13 years, he held various positions within the system of the Ministry of Trade of the Azerbaijan SSR, served as the director of "Azerittifaq"'s universal wholesale base, and was a department head at the State Planning Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR.
In 1985, at the XVI Congress of Azerbaijan Consumer Cooperatives, he was elected deputy chairman of the board of "Azerittifaq". From 1988, he worked as the head of the trade and public catering department of the State Planning Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR, and in April 1989, he was appointed Minister of Trade of the Azerbaijan SSR. He served as Minister until April 1992, and from April to July of the same year, he was the head of the Baku City Executive Power. It is reported that he passed away at the age of 80.
Subsequently, the administration of the capital was entrusted to Rauf Gulmammadov. He led Baku from July 4, 1992, to July 3, 1993.
R. Gulmammadov worked as the head of the Specialized Repair and Construction Department of the Executive Committee of the Baku City Soviet of People's Deputies from 1980 to 1982, as the director of the Specialized Repair and Construction Trust of the Executive Committee of the Baku City Soviet of People's Deputies from 1982 to 1984, as the head of the Baku Main Housing Production Department from 1984 to 1989, and as the head of the Baku Main Construction Department from 1989 to 1991.
In the 1990 elections, he was elected a deputy of the XII convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR from electoral district No. 20.
Rauf Gulmammadov served as the First Deputy Head of the Baku City Executive Power from 1991 to 1992.
On April 23, 1992, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister by the decision of Yaqub Mammadov, then Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, who was exercising the powers of the country's President. On May 18, 1992, R. Gulmammadov was re-appointed to this position by a decree of Isa Gambar, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, who was exercising the powers of the President. On July 4, 1992, Rauf Gulmammadov was dismissed from his post by Decree No. 31 of President Abulfaz Elchibey. On the same day, President A. Elchibey appointed Rauf Gulmammadov as the head of the Baku City Executive Power. On July 3, 1993, he was dismissed from the position of Baku mayor by a decree of Heydar Aliyev, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, who was exercising the powers of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
After being dismissed from the post of capital mayor, from 1993 to 1997, Rauf Gulmammadov worked as the head of the Baku Main Construction Department. He passed away in Baku on June 21, 1999.
Since the aforementioned ex-mayors worked before Ramiz Mehdiyev became the head of the Presidential Administration, their paths did not cross.
During the years of independence, the third executive head of the capital was Rafael Allahverdiyev. He served in this position from July 3, 1993, to October 16, 2000.
R. Allahverdiyev's tenure as Baku mayor coincided with Ramiz Mehdiyev's leadership of the Presidential Administration. These two officials were always in conflict.
In 1992, R. Allahverdiyev was one of the "91s" who called on Heydar Aliyev, Chairman of the Nakhchivan Supreme Assembly, for an open and active struggle for power in Azerbaijan and signed an appeal for his return to power, actively participating in the establishment of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP).
As a result of his activities in this direction, as soon as Heydar Aliyev returned to power, he appointed Rafael Allahverdiyev, whom he had known since the 1970s, to the important position of head of the Baku City Executive Power (on July 3, 1993).
He also held the post of YAP Deputy Chairman from 1993 and remained in this post until 2001.
Two years after becoming Baku mayor, Rafael Allahverdiyev also acquired a deputy mandate. Thus, on November 12, 1995, he was elected a deputy to the I convocation of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan from the Narimanov Second Electoral District No. 25.
There was no unambiguous attitude towards Rafael Allahverdiyev as the head of the Baku City Executive Power. For example, during his time, petty trade and street vending became widespread in the capital. The widespread opportunities created for street vending and petty trade led to the city's pollution and the prevalence of unpleasant scenes. Many approved of the opportunities for street trade from the perspective of people's livelihoods, but those who valued the city's appearance were against it.
At the end of October 2000, Rafael Allahverdiyev resigned from the position of Baku mayor. It is said that Ramiz Mehdiyev played a special role in his "removal." In November of the same year, Allahverdiyev was re-elected as a deputy to the Milli Majlis. He represented the ruling New Azerbaijan Party in the Milli Majlis.
R. Allahverdiyev, who began working with Heydar Aliyev from a young age, was considered one of the late head of state's closest and most loyal associates.
However, after Heydar Aliyev's death, the pressure on R. Allahverdiyev from his rivals within the government increased. It was alleged that the "Grey Cardinal" was behind these pressures.
Subsequently, law enforcement agencies began to harass him.
In July 2004, despite being a deputy, Rafael Allahverdiyev was summoned to the Republican Prosecutor's Office for questioning. His summons to the Prosecutor General's Office coincided with his giving interviews in several independent and opposition media outlets criticizing some officials in power.
"I am a Member of Parliament, and I was represented in the country's political leadership during Heydar Aliyev's era. Therefore, I do not accept such treatment towards myself and condemn it. For this reason, I sent my lawyer to the Prosecutor General's Office," R. Allahverdiyev stated at the time.
So, what were the reasons for R. Allahverdiyev, who had served in high positions for a long time, been a deputy of the Milli Majlis, and actively participated in the establishment of YAP, to incur the wrath of the authorities?
Although various opinions were voiced on this matter at the time, R. Allahverdiyev himself named Ramiz Mehdiyev, then head of the Presidential Administration, as being behind the pressures.
For example, in his statement to the "Echo" newspaper dated July 21, 2004, R. Allahverdiyev warned R. Mehdiyev to stop the pressures:
"...I see nothing wrong with giving interviews to independent or opposition media... I want to say once again - if Ramiz Mehdiyev does not cease his actions, then I will publish serious accusatory materials against him."
But the pressures against Rafael Allahverdiyev did not stop. And against the backdrop of these events, Rafael Allahverdiyev had to resign from his deputyship in December 2004. As if that weren't enough, he was even expelled from YAP.
Fearing arrest in Azerbaijan, Rafael Allahverdiyev was forced to leave the country and emigrate to Switzerland. Rafael Allahverdiyev tried hard to return to Azerbaijan. But he could not return safely.
Because the former deputy, afflicted with an incurable illness – brain cancer – was progressively deteriorating, and he was preoccupied with his treatment. Rafael Allahverdiyev was forced to live in exile in Switzerland from late 2004 until early 2009.
In December 2008, Zakira Allahverdiyeva, the wife of the former mayor, appealed to the Azerbaijani authorities to create conditions for her husband's return to Baku in his final days. And in late December, R. Allahverdiyev's return to the country was approved.
His family was only able to bring R. Allahverdiyev to Baku in a very critical condition in early January 2009. And he passed away just a few hours after reaching his hometown – on January 11.
After R. Allahverdiyev, the leadership of the capital's Executive Power was entrusted to Hajibala Abutalibov.
Hajibala Abutalibov served as the head of the Surakhani District Executive Power of Baku city from February 1995 to January 2000.
From January 2000 to January 2001, he served as Deputy Prime Minister.
In January 2001, he was appointed head of the Baku City Executive Power.
Abutalibov, who led the Baku City Executive Power for exactly 18 years, was dismissed from this position on April 21, 2018. On the same day, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister by presidential decree.
On October 21, 2019, Hajibala Abutalibov was also dismissed from the position of Deputy Prime Minister and sent into retirement.
On March 5, 2021, at the VII Congress of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), Hajibala Abutalibov was removed from the organization's Board.
Initially, he was not even included in YAP's Veterans Council. Only after 6 months was his name added to the list of YAP's Veterans Council to appease Hajibala Abutalibov.
The former head of the Baku City Executive Power, Hajibala Abutalibov, has always been a person of interest to the media. However, after Mr. Hajibala was removed from his positions, his public presence also ceased.
Hajibala Abutalibov, who usually commented on high-profile events in his unique style, has been "hiding" from the press for 5 years. The media last published his article about Ramiz Mehdiyev but has not seen him...
Incidentally, Hajibala Abutalibov wrote in that article about Ramiz Mehdiyev: "...some high-ranking officials, including Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, abuse their positions, disregard the supremacy of laws, and trample upon and violate them as they wish. As an example, we consider it our duty as citizens to comment on the incident where Ramiz Mehdiyev held a lavish and extravagant wedding for his grandchild, contrary to quarantine rules, with the participation of many incumbent and former officials who had been removed from their posts. Frankly, the coverage of this unpleasant incident in the mass media aroused deep hatred and disgust towards Ramiz Mehdiyev among most segments of Azerbaijani citizens and caused the anger of the vast majority of the people...
...It is regrettable, but we must note that these unlawful actions by Ramiz Mehdiyev and his circle not only fail to serve the strengthening of national solidarity and social equality among people but, on the contrary, create negative perceptions such as the arbitrariness of officials represented in the power hierarchy and their alienation from the people."
A.Gorkhmaz
