On 23 October, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order to dismiss Ramiz Mehdiyev from the position of head of the Presidential Administration. At his dismissal Aliyev spoke about the "historical merit of Mehdiyev in the formation of the Azerbaijan Republic" and the need to change political elites. After his dismissal, Aliyev appointed Mehdiyev to the Security Council of Azerbaijan.
On 21 October, Aliyev dismissed the Deputy Prime Ministers Ali Hasanov and Hajibala Abutalibov because they reached 70 years old and were considered too old to still work for the administration. “I believe that those in power who have reached retirement age, who are over 70, will probably follow your example. At least I hope so,” he said.
The day after, Aliyev also dismissed the Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev and on 23 October appointed Mikayil Jabbarov as the republic's new Economy Minister. The Ministry of Taxes was abolished and, together with all employees, joined it to the Ministry of Economy. The State Committee for Property and the Antimonopoly Agency for Supervision of the Consumer Market also joined there.
On 24 October, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Azerbaijan dismissed the Head of the Department for Humanitarian and Social Affairs Musa Alakbarov, and Head of the Department for Communication, Construction and Public Utilities Gasim Abdullaev.
The rejuvenation of the state apparatus in Azerbaijan began when the former Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov resigned from his post on 8 October (Caucasus Watch reported). The Azerbaijani newspaper Azerdaily assessed the changes in government leadership. “When President Ilham Aliyev first spoke about the need for large-scale reforms and declared this a government priority, for some reason it seemed to many that everything would be accomplished somehow at once, in a revolutionary way. The logic was simple: officials, organically living in their seats, cannot and do not want reforms. And one cannot disagree with this. But the head of state thought a little differently, having decided to first bring the reforms to a certain level, and along the way to decide on this issue. And this moment seems to have arrived: new appointments are coming one after another,” read the article.
Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe, specializing in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region, sees positive signs in recent development in Azerbaijan. “Meanwhile in Azerbaijan... a big day. 81-year-old Ramiz Mehdiyev, head of presidential administration and effectively no. 2 in country since 1995, right hand man of former president Heydar Aliev in 1980s, is moved on. Technocrats being promoted in his place”, tweeted de Waal.
