The National Statistical Institute was represented by Mr. Sergey Tsvetarski, President of the NSI, Mr. Bogdan Bogdanov, PhD - Deputy President and Ms. Kalina Kazandjieva, Director of the Regional Statistical Office Yugoiztok. The representatives of all the countries involved in the Twinning project (Germany, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia and Lithuania) took part.
The National Statistical Institute had a key role to play in order to achieve project objectives. Total of 14 experts worked on project management through participation in the work of Standing Monitoring Committee as well as on implementation of the tasks of all components in 32 missions. The NSI hosted six study visits, including one high-level visit. The NSI’s expert Mr. Arslan Ahmedov who was Resident twinning adviser in Baku, played key role.
The Chairman of the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr.Tahir Budagov presented detailed information on the implementation of the Twinning project and stressed its great importance for the development of official statistics in the Republic of Azerbaijan. He underlined that the objectives of all 5 components have been achieved and are reflected in improvement of dissemination of statistics through a statistical quality management system, building geographic information system, compliance of official statistics on income and living conditions, disability statistics and statistics on tourism in line with European standards.
He noted that the Twinning project was highly appreciated by the State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan. This statement was in line with the statement by the EU Ambassador to Azerbaijan that statistical projects are the most successful not only in Azerbaijan but also in the whole region. 35 short-term experts from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany and the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria, as well as from the other project partners - Statistical offices of the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia and Latvia - contributed to the project by the individual components. 64 experts from Azerbaijan were involved in the project, 37 expert missions were carried out in Baku and 14 study visits were implemented in the EU countries.
Mr. Yuri Skasskevich, Eurostat’s representative and Mr. Ringo Raupach, representative of the German Federal Statistical Office as well as EU Project Manager provided a high estimate of the implementation of the project.
The completed Twinning project is the second in the field of statistics with a beneficiary of the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and it is a proof of successful cooperation between the EU countries and this Caucasian Republic as well as a precondition for implementation of future new projects.
The event was honored by Mr. Shahin Mustafayev, Minister of Economic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ziyad Samadzade, Chairman of Parliament's Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship as well as by Mr. Salim Muslumov, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population. Mr. Kestutis Yankauskas, EU Ambassador in Azerbaijan, Mr. Michael Kindsgrab, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as Ms. Vilija Lapeniene, Director General of Statistics Lithuania attended the conference.
