Azerbaijan has implemented a dramatic increase in salaries for its public officials. President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree resulting in monthly pay rises for some positions reaching three times their previous amounts. Existing bonuses and related benefits have been eliminated, aiming to reduce the gap between official salaries and previously undisclosed “gray salaries.” The decree, enacted on Thursday, establishes new monthly allocations.
These include 17,000 (approximately $10,000) for the Prime Minister, 15,950 (approximately $9,400) for the First Deputy Prime Minister, and 14,850 (approximately $8,750) for the Deputy Prime Minister. The salary for the Prosecutor General has risen significantly from 3,000 (approximately $1,650) to 13,750 (approximately $8,100). Despite a lack of widespread media coverage and unclear justifications from authorities, the increase is attributed to goals of stable wages and greater transparency.
Following the salary adjustments, a decree canceling bonuses for officials was also issued. Pro-government outlets claim these changes were intended to enhance salary transparency. Independent media, such as Toplum TV, suggests that simply raising salaries is insufficient to combat corruption, requiring complete separation of politics and business, conflict of interest prevention, and the elimination of state privilege exploitation.
The decree extends beyond ministers and prime ministers, increasing the monthly wage of the Central Election Commission (CEC) head from 3,000 (approximately $1,700) to 12,000 (approximately $7,000), and for CEC members from 2,200 (approximately $1,300) to 9,000 (approximately $5,300). This increase has generated criticism, even from pro-government journalists, highlighting the disparity between high-ranking salaries and minimum pension rates. The issue of azerbaijan’s minimum wages and pensions, which rose 9.3% last year, continues to be debated.
Experts point to a lack of inflation adjustments and unclear consumer basket costs. They argue that a parliament formed through free and fair elections would be necessary for effective oversight, preventing imbalances between social groups, such as the significant difference between teachers’ and ministers’ salaries. Social benefits, including pensions, are set to rise 9.2% in azerbaijan from January 2026, with projected social spending increases of 780 million (approximately $460 million).
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