Journalists choose Azercell as the most transparent company of Azerbaijan.

Baku, June 06, 2007

Azercell Telecom JV, keeping in close association with mass media continuously remain of being loyal to its principles of openness to media and transparency in information. As a result of this, Azercell Telecom JV was chosen as the most transparent company and awarded the Free Information Space prize according to the inquiry held by Zardabi Press Center among 1000 journalists.

Zardabi Press Center is implementing the program covering 2006-2010 years to find out the situation, problems and tendencies in Azerbaijan while receiving information from a first source. As a component of the program the most transparent organizations were determined among the governmental institutions, joint ventures and shareholder entities, international organizations and diplomatic corps for their activities in 2006. More than 1000 journalists, editors and experts were inquired. According to the results of the poll the Foreign Affairs Ministry, OSCE Baku office, the US Embassy in Azerbaijan, and Azercell Telecom JV won the Free Information Space prize.

Addressing the award presentation ceremony A. Halim Ates, the General Manager of Azercell Telecom JV said: “As Azercell we keep in close association with mass media. Our company is continues to remain its principles of openness to media and transparency in information. We always are doing our best to sustain trustful relationship with media. Also we promote quality journalism in Azerbaijan in belief that independent, strong media are crucial in improving the civil society and that is why we started couple of projects on developing journalism in Azerbaijan.

Receiving this award from journalists, shows that we are in right way. It’s a big honor and great responsibility to be most transparent company of Azerbaijan.”

Cahangir Mammadli, Chairman of the Broadcasting Council of the Azerbaijan Public Television, dean of the International Journalism Department of the Baku State University emphasized speaking at the event that Azercell deserved the prize. “Azercell won this prize because of its close ties with Mass Media. Azercell Telecom JV has always been in friendship and partnership relations with the national press,” he said.

Azercell will continue being loyal to its principles of openness to media and provision of transparency of the information.