Sixteen regional departments of culture in direct subordination to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan were established by merging and enlarging the previous 64 dual (with city/district executive authorities) subordinated city and district departments of culture by Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan On Improving the Structure of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan (No.1932 of March 29, 2016). As a result, the regional management system in the cultural sector evolved into a more transparent and efficient model. Following the liberation of the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in alignment with its economic regions, the number of regional cultural departments within the Ministry of Culture was optimised by Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No.3766, issued on February 23, 2023. At present, 13 regional departments of culture, including Baku City Culture Head Department and Absheron–Khizi, Mountainous Shirvan, Ganja–Dashkasan, Karabakh, Gazakh–Tovuz, Guba–Khachmaz, Lankaran–Astara, Central Aran, Mil-Mughan, Shaki-Zagatala, East Zangezur, Shirvan–Salyan, are carrying out the direct management of state culture and art institutions of the capital city and the regions.
Five regional departments of the State Service for Protection, Development and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan were established by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan On Improving the Activity of the State Service for Protection, Development and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan (No.844 of October 22, 2019) to strengthen state control in protecting immovable historical and cultural monuments under state protection and ensure effective management on the regional level. According to this decree, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan has approved the division of territorial affiliation among the Baku, Shabran, Gabala, Ganja, and Salyan regional departments of the State Service.
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Accordingly, the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the decrees of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including those in the sphere of culture, are binding within the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Republic of Azerbaijan. At the same time, given the constitutional status of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the Ministry of Culture of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is responsible for developing and implementing regional cultural policy within its jurisdiction.
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