Company Linked to Government Official Wins 41 Million Manat Tender in Karabakh

A state tender worth 41.266 million manats for the construction of a new residential neighborhood in the city of Lachin has been awarded to “Hovers Group” LLC. The contracting authority is the “Restoration, Construction and Management Service in Lachin District” public legal entity.

Investigations indicate that the founder of the company, Sabuhi Mehdizade, currently serves as deputy special representative of the President in the Jabrayil, Gubadli, and Zangilan districts. He was appointed to this position by President Ilham Aliyev in July 2024.

Prior to this appointment, Mehdizade held senior positions in several state institutions, including the Ministry of Agriculture and “Tamiz Shahar” OJSC. He also currently serves as vice president of the Table Tennis Federation.

“Hovers Group” LLC has received numerous large-scale government contracts in recent years. The company has signed multi-million manat agreements with the State Housing Development Agency (MIDA), the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Social Development Fund for Internally Displaced Persons, and other state institutions.

Azerbaijani legislation prohibits public officials from engaging in entrepreneurial activity. Restrictions are explicitly outlined in the laws “On Civil Service,” “On Entrepreneurial Activity,” and “On Combating Corruption.”

It should be recalled that only a few days ago it was reported that a 34 million manat housing construction tender in the city of Gubadli had been awarded to a company owned by Emin Agalarov, the former husband of President Ilham Aliyev’s daughter Leyla Aliyeva.