More than 3 billion rubles have been paid out to residents of Dagestan affected by spring floods. Fyodor Shchukin announced this on October 15 while speaking at a session of the republic’s People’s Assembly. On the same day, deputies elected him as the head of the region, following which he took the oath of office and assumed his duties.
Azerbaijani opposition politician Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front, criticized the country's authorities. He said that the incessant rise in prices for electricity, gas, water, transport, fuel, food and almost all services is leading the population to starvation.
Instead of measures to improve the economic situation of citizens, such as creating jobs or increasing salaries and pensions, the authorities, according to Karimli, are trying to suppress any discontent by expanding the powers of the internal troops. He called on the authorities not to remain silent, but to hear the voice of the people and solve existing problems.
Earlier, Karimli accused Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev of establishing "harsh authoritarianism." He spoke about the systematic persecution of the opposition and independent journalists. The oppositionist also emphasized that the authoritarian regime in Azerbaijan has no prospects, and called on the international community to actively support democratic reforms and resolve the refugee problem.