ASSA-Irada,
15, February 2008

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has forwarded a bill to parliament that would ban the use of foreign flags in public places.

The draft law says that flags of other countries could be hoisted only outside diplomatic representations, the studies of ambassadors and consuls and on vehicles of leaders of foreign states and heads of expatriate official delegations.

After the law is passed, placing foreign flags on the balconies of privately-owned apartments will not be allowed. Moreover, the flags currently seen on the roofs of the buildings of various foreign organizations and companies, stores and restaurants will be removed.

The Law, "On the rules of using the flags of foreign states and international organizations in the Azerbaijan Republic", was discussed at the Milli Majlis commission on international and inter-parliamentary relations on Friday.

The MPs backed adoption of the bill. In conclusion, the commission passed a decision to put the bill on discussion in the legislature