According to reports by France 24, Hikmat Hajiyev, a presidential advisor of Azerbaijan, is behind an ongoing smear campaign against several countries. Hajiyev apparently enjoys the strong trust of the president and largely controls the Azerbaijani media landscape. However, Azerbaijan’s relations with other nations, especially Western countries, have significantly worsened under his influence.
Despite facing allegations of betraying former colleagues to promote his career, appointing close associates including his wife to key positions at SOCAR, the presidential administration, and as envoys, Hajiyev remains untouched by the media he controls. So far, he has faced little criticism from international media as well, raising questions about possible murky relationships.
France 24 is a rare example of a media outlet exposing Hajiyev’s heavy involvement in propaganda activities against countries Azerbaijan has difficult relations with due to human rights issues and the conflict with Armenia. Rather than conducting professional diplomacy, Hajiyev has seemingly chosen a confrontational approach by misinforming the president with his special access.
This pathway could drain the limited resources of a small country like Azerbaijan, further damaging relations and isolating it as it already faces challenging foreign policy issues. Hajiyev and his associates holding influential diplomatic positions, such as his deputies and ambassadors, appear to have chosen this precarious route to maintain and strengthen their positions at the detriment of the country’s interests.
A rare media report implicating Hajiyev’s ambassador associates in France, Sweden, and Bulgaria has revealed mismanagement, incompetence, and possible corruption. However, such allegations gain little traction in Azerbaijan, as the local media remains subservient to Hajiyev.
He also allegedly blocks negative reports from reaching the president to cover up the mismanagement of critical diplomatic issues by him and his entourage. The current Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, who replaced the notoriously corrupt Elmar Mammadyarov, has also proven ineffective and incompetent in influencing Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. Local and international media have noted he seems content being Hajiyev’s puppet.
Bayramov is also linked to corruption and irregularities within the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan. The country’s diplomatic services remain mired in deep-rooted corruption filled with allegedly corrupt officials.
