Zaur Ajdarov, who has signed purchase contracts worth more than 500,000 manat ($US322,000) with Azerbaijan government institutions, both as an individual and as a legal entity, said that his brother, who works as a Ministry department head, had no role in his winning the competitions.

In early August, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic hosted an event related to the UN Climate Change Conference COP29 being held in Azerbaijan. The event at the Nakhchivan Business Center focused on topics like elimination of factors causing climate change and use of alternative energy.

Mukhtar Babayev, President-designate of COP29 who is also Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, and Fuad Najafov, President Ilham Aliyev’s authorized representative in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, attended the conference.

According to the one-source procurement agreement signed with an individual Ajdarov Zaur, organizing the event cost the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Nakhchivan 14,466 manat ($US8,500).

In the corporate registry  "Abzas Media " found that a person with the tax number specified in the procurement contract does not exist in the database of the Ministry of Taxes, and that the winner of the tender was actually "Lusso Mebel Dekorasia" Limited Liability Company.

But the legal representative of Lusso Mebel Dekorasia LLC, a company registered on February 23, 2024, at the address of block 54, house 14, Nakhchivan city, is Zaur Ajdarov. Thus, he appears both as a person and a legal entity in the list of contractors. 

Zaur Ajdarov before and after he started to enter competitions related to public procurements. Photo: Zaur Ajdarov Instagram

Four months following its registration, "Lusso Mebel Dekorasia" LLC signed purchase contracts with six government institutions in Nakhchivan worth 357,946 manat ($US210,000). The services included purchase of furniture and equipment, and event organization. Zaur Ajdarov, as an individual, also won competitions announced by various government institutions worth 190,000 manat ($US112,000).

Adjarov’s business relations with Nakhchivan government institutions started in 2023, when as an individual he supplied the Nakhchivan MR hospital with furniture worth 31,000 manat ($US18,230) Since registering his furniture company, he has won a number of tenders both as an individual and through the company.

A procurement contract for the organization of COP29 conference shows Zaur Ajdarov’s name and surname in the winner's name box, but the tax number of "Lusso Mebel Dekorasia" LLC follows his name. Ajdarov called it a  "technical mistake " in an interview with "Abzas Media". He said he is involved in the furniture business, but also arranges stage decorations, including private gatherings such as wedding parties.

"We are also a manufacturer," he said. “We can do both. We have a stage monitor and a sound system for events. That's how we operate. We do it when it's furniture work, and we do it when it's decoration work." 

"Abzas Media" journalists came across another person with the same surname as Zaur Ajdarov while investigating the identity of persons working in government institutions in Nakhchivan. Etibar Ajdarov is head of department in the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.

Zaur Ajdarov confirmed to "Abzas Media" that Etibar Ajdarov is his brother. He immediately denied that his business has anything to do with his brother, and said it is impossible for his brother to influence the results of government tenders.

"Today, everything is transparent,"  Zaur Ajdarov said.  "Our state announces the tenders, everyone makes their offer and the suitable (supplier) is chosen. I live in Nakhchivan. I know when such things happen. When I asked for the documents and proposals related to that tender, I offered the price and won because the estimated price offered by me was suitable". 

But the procurement tender related to this COP29 event was not announced publicly. The single-source procurement method was used. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources dealt directly with Zaur Ajdarov on the procurement contract. Details have been hidden in the  unified Internet-portal of government procurements.

This was not the first contract signed between Ajdarov and the ministry. Two weeks earlier, he won a tender from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources related to the purchase of pipes for irrigation systems worth 31,275 manat ($US18,400). 

Article 9.3.3 of the Anti- Corruption Law of Azerbaijan stipulates that, except for scientific, pedagogical and creative activity, to engage, directly, through other or fictitious persons, in entrepreneur activity shall be considered as an offense conducive to corruption.

Did Zaur Ajdarov's brother, who works in the ministry, have any role in his brother’s winning government tenders? The press service of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Nakhchivan stated that Etibar Ajdarov, an employee of the Ministry, has nothing to do either with Zaur Ajdarov or his furniture store.

The Law "On Public Procurement" states that a procurement contract using only one source may be concluded if the procured goods are found only at one specific supplier, or any specific supplier has special rights over the goods, or in the absence of any alternatives, or when it is impossible to foresee in advance cases that lead to urgency.

Parties who win the right to participate in such tenders must show evidence of professionalism and experience in the relevant field, technical capabilities and material and technical bases, and manpower that meets the relevant requirements for execution of the purchase contract.

No information was found in open sources that "Lusso Mebel Dekoraya" LLC meets these requirements.

Zaur Ajdarov says he is engaged in manufacturing furniture and organizing stage decoration. But the tenders he won heavily rely on the ability to purchase furniture.

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Nakhchivan has not yet responded to “Abzas Media” questions about why a COP29 conference related procurement contract was concluded with "Lusso Mebel Dekorasia" LLC.