OREANDA-NEWS. January 21, 2009. Lithuanian organizations became twining partners of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis and Anti-Corruption Department. The Azerbaijani government and the European Commission are ongoing successful realization of a twinning programme for ministries and departments of the country within Tacis and ENP (European Neighborhood Policy).

Shahin Mustafayve, the minister of economic development of Azerbaijan, says that on 27 November 2008 the Evaluating Commission held a session on choice of partners within twinning programme for the Milli Majlis (Parliament) Administration and the Anti-Corruption Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office. Profile organizations of Lithuania were selected as partners. Besides, the Lithuanian partner for the Anti-Corruption Department found in Azerbaijan a resident subcontractor that allowed extension of the program from one up to three years,” Mustafayev said.

“Last year there were launched twinning programs for the State Agency for Standardization, Metrology and Patents (SASMP), the State Consumer Market Control Service (under the Ministry of Economic Development), and the Ministry of Industry and Energy (MIE). First results have been already received despite not long period of realization,” the minister said.

Selection of partners for the National Bank (NB) and the State Statistics Committee (SSC) is expected soon as well.

The SASMP, the MED, the MIE, Milli Majlis and the Anti-Corruption Department will be financed at the expense of Tacis 2006 national plan’s budget, while the NB and the SSC from ENP 2007 budget.

The government has already prepared a list of 12 country’s departments to be recipients of assistance within the twinning programme. The list in particular includes the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

EUR 1.5 million out of the Twinning Programme total budget of EUR 6.5 million is designed for the Twinning Programme office (Project Implementation Unit; PIU) maintenance and project budget on each department makes EUR1 million.

Period of projects is two years.

The National Action Plan of European Neighborhood Policy 2007 stipulates another EUR5 million for the Twinning Programme.

Since 17 October 2007 Eco/EWC/CPMA consortium has been rendering consulting services to the PIU.

ENP-2007 budget envisages EUR5 million for Twinning Programme and EUR1 million for its support.

Since 1992 EU has rendered assistance to Azerbaijan for EUR 400 million, including EUR 100 million within TACIS. In 2006-07 TACIS/ENP assistance will make EUR 41 million more.