AZE.US
Burial plots in Azerbaijan’s state cemeteries are supposed to be free. In practice, residents say, families are often asked to pay.
The issue has become one of the more sensitive everyday grievances in Baku and surrounding settlements, where people say cemetery plots can come with informal price tags depending on the location, demand and who controls access to the site.
Residents told local media that in some places a burial plot may cost 100 to 300 manats. In other cases, the figure may rise to 2,000 or 5,000 manats. In more sought-after areas, they said, prices can reach as high as 20,000 manats.
That is not how the system is supposed to work.
Under a 2018 decision by Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers, a burial place must be allocated free of charge for every citizen. The same rule also applies to people without relatives and to displaced persons.
But families say the formal rule often does not match the reality on the ground. In some cases, money is allegedly requested directly for the plot. In others, the payment is framed as a service fee for preparation, paperwork or other related arrangements.
The result is a gray market around one of the most difficult moments a family can face. For many people, the cost of burial becomes not only an emotional burden, but a financial one.
The problem is especially visible in and around Baku, where available cemetery space is limited and demand is high. In some settlements, residents say the sums are lower than in central areas, but even there families may still be expected to pay.
Experts link the issue to the lack of a single transparent control system. Cemeteries may be managed by municipalities, local executive authorities or, in some cases, by unclear private individuals who effectively control access to burial places.
That fragmented structure creates room for abuse. Without a unified registry, it is difficult to track which plots are available, who received them and whether any payment was legally justified.
One proposed solution is to create a unified cemetery register and move the registration of burial plots into the ASAN xidmət system. Supporters say this could reduce repeat sales, hidden fees and artificial price increases.
For now, the contradiction remains stark: the law says a burial plot should be free, while families say the last piece of land can sometimes come with a price tag of thousands of manats.
AZE.US