BAKU, Azerbaijan - A residential complex with more than 300 apartments in Baku’s Ahmadli settlement remains unoccupied, even though the building appears ready for residents and has been cleared for use, according to a television report.
The complex’s history dates to 2000, but no one has moved into its apartments 26 years later, Vesti Baku reported, citing Khazar Khabar.
The property, in the capital’s Khatai district, consists of eight blocks. The report said common areas have been finished and elevators and utility meters installed. Commercial businesses operate on the lower floors, while the apartments above remain empty.
The unexplained vacancy has prompted speculation among nearby residents and on social media that the building may have structural problems. Officials, however, did not confirm those claims.
Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said the State Agency for Safety Control in Construction had issued the apartment building a certificate confirming its readiness for operation, according to the report.
The Khatai District Executive Authority offered a different explanation, saying the owner does not intend to put the apartments on the market. District officials said the property belongs to a Canadian citizen of Azerbaijani origin, whose name was not disclosed.
Journalists said they tried to contact the owner to ask why the apartments had remained empty for years, but received no response to calls or messages.
The owner’s reasons and any future plans to sell or occupy the more than 300 apartments remain unclear. The original Khazar Khabar video report is available online.