YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. On July 12, Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev held a meeting with his Cabinet of ministers where he once again spoke about “the great achievements of Azerbaijan’s economy” in a typical confident manner.

However, if one looks closely at the data of Azerbaijan’s state statistical committee on the first semester of 2017, it’s obvious that the speech of the country’s president is just a simple lie.

During January-June 2017, Azerbaijan’s industrial output amounted to 18,6 billion manat, which is a 5,5% decrease compared to the previous year’s same period.

According to the official data, the industrial volumes of the oil sector have also declined by 7,2%.

“In the beginning of 2017 I said that this year will be a year of economic development. And it was. It can already be stated. The achievements and the data of our officials allow me to say that this year will be a year of development. Last year was a year of economic and financial stabilization. And this year will be a year of development. I am more than confident that Azerbaijan will strengthen its economic potential even more in the coming years”, president Aliyev said on July 12.

But the official statistics of the country prove otherwise. Nearly all branches of the economy have declined. Namely a 30,6% decrease has been recorded in the beverage production branch, 57% decline in the clothing manufacturing, 82,8% drop in the wood-processing and wood production branch, 22,4% decrease in the chemical production sphere, 84,2% drop in the electrical devices production, 75,7% decrease in computer production, leather production – 55,8% drop, and the list just goes on and on.

Moreover, the average annual inflation in the country during the reporting period amounted 13,9%.

The official data of Aliyev’s country proves his very words to be disinformation, nothing more.