On February 13, 2017 was held a summary meeting on results of the activity of the Secretariat of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2016, chaired by Farhad Abdullayev.

Having opened the meeting Farhad Abdullayev has emphasized that many important national and international events had been held in the Republic in the previous year. Farhad Abdullayev noted that according to the requirement of Article 153 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of the proposal of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to introduce amendments to the basic law, the Constitutional Court had provided its opinion on the Draft Referendum Act of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan”. On September 26 in our country was held a nation-wide voting – a referendum in connection with amendments to the Constitution. Following the results of vote all proposed changes in the Constitution have been approved with high percent.

Having highlighted the President Ilham Aliyev thought that “in the center of state policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan there is a citizen, therefore all government institutions have to treat the problems of citizens with uttermost diligence”, Farhad Abdullayev informed that, in connection therewith, the appropriate departments of the Secretariat had been charged with a task to carefully analyze public claims and complaints. It was noted that, under the instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to approach their appeals carefully and tactfully, the Secretariat of the Constitutional Court had instructed to arrange the procedures of careful listening, investigation of public appeals and decision-making. 

The reports of senior management of the Secretariat as well as heads of the appropriate departments and divisions have been heard at the meeting. Besides, were presented the reports on legal aspects touched in the requests, inquiries and complaints received by the Constitutional Court, on the implementation of adopted decisions, the informations and opinions drawn up, as well as proposals concerning the improvement of working efficiency were made. 

It was noted that the Plenum of Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted 30 decisions and rulings in connection with the requests, inquiries and complaints received in the previous year. By the Chambers of the Constitutional Court had been adopted 503 rulings. In these decisions and rulings the legal evaluation of civil, criminal, employment, tax and other legal issues in terms of the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan were given. 

It was emphasized that conclusions had been drawn up in connection with all requests and appeals received by the Constitutional Court in the reporting period. The complaints received by the Court in the preceding year were generally concerned the infringement of the property rights, execution of the court decisions, marital, tax, civil and employment relations, purchase and sale, allocation of the land plots, privatization, entrepreneurial activity, disputes, etc.

It was noted that in the previous year the international relations of the Constitutional Court were even more strengthened. Judicial and legal cooperation with the European Court of Human Rights, the Venice Commission, as well as with constitutional courts of many foreign countries were further developed. In all adopted decisions the Constitutional Court, along with the domestic legislation, pays attention to international contractual and judicial practices.  

Summarizing the meeting, Chairman of the Constitutional Court Farhad Abdullayev pointed out that in 2016 the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev had signed a number of decrees and orders concerning the harmonization of the national legislation with the contemporary legal system. The consistent steps with regard to international relations under leadership of the head of state are taken. All these once again confirm that, being a leading state of the region, Azerbaijan is dynamically developing and strengthening its position on the international arena.

The Chairman of the Constitutional Court positively estimated the activity done in 2016, has instructed the heads of structural departments of the Secretariat on increase in efficiency of activity.

In conclusion of a meeting on the basis of the plan of work a number of instructions in connection with the tasks facing the Secretariat in 2017 has been given.