The “Fight against corruption: international standards and national experiences” conference has started in Baku under Azerbaijan`s Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
The event involving the Group of States against corruption (GRECO) and the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) was co-organized by the State of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe.
The event brings together state and government officials, members of the Azerbaijani Parliament, as well as representatives of the commission on fight against corruption, central executive bodies, the Office of the Prosecutor General and other law enforcement agencies of the country, institutes of higher education, NGOs and Azerbaijan offices of international organizations.
The conference was attended by prosecutors general of Turkey, Albania, Moldova, Croatia, Georgia, Monaco and Lichtenstein, ministers of justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Croatia, head of the specialized anti-corruption organizations of France, Poland, Lithuania, Macedonia and Serbia, the head of the department of Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe, the President of the GRECO, the CEO of the IACA, the President of the International Association of Prosecutors, the Secretary General of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) and others.
Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan Zakir Garalov made opening remarks at the event and highlighted Azerbaijan’s starting to chair the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on May 14 as a sign of the country’s loyalty to democratic values.
The Prosecutor General said Azerbaijan had laid out the priorities of its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers and spoke of the achievements in fight against corruption, as well as reforms carried out successfully in this regard in the country.
Zakir Garalov also noted the conference was the first of the 18 events to be held during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship.
Head of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Ramiz Mehdiyev addressed the conference.
Mehdiyev said Azerbaijan gained rich experiences in anti-corruption sphere and noted several important organizations were established under the order of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
He especially hailed the importance and activity of the Anti-Corruption Department under Prosecutor General and the “ASAN service”.
Ramiz Mehdiyev then read out a message of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the conference participants.
Then, Director of the Department of Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe Philippe Boillat, President of the GRECO Marin Mrcela, CEO and Dean of the IACA Martin Kreutner addressed the conference and spoke of the anti-corruption measures.

Head of the Department for Work with Law-Enforcement Bodies at the Presidential Administration Fuad Alasgarov highlighted the reforms carried out and successes achieved in Azerbaijan in the field of the anti-corruption.
Following the opening ceremony, the conference continued with the plenary sessions.