EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF A GUEST WORKER

People began to talk seriously about Eduard Bagirov a year ago, when the publishers Populyarnaya Literatura printed his novel "Gastarbeiter." The writer described how he had conquered Moscow. The story was typical - but nonetheless so involving that it was read with equal interest by both the guest workers who invade Russia from all over the CIS, and their employers. Even conservative bourgeois magazines risked advising their well-heeled subscribers to read a novel which by then had become a bestseller - just in case - to know with whom they were dealing when hiring guest workers.

In the mean time, Eduard Bagirov, who had become instantly fashionable, started on a new novel and this was immediately bought up by Europe's largest publishing group, AST. Bagirov discusses his new novel, and the life of a fashionable writer, in this interview with our magazine.

- First of all, let us congratulate you on the publication of your second book. Please tell us briefly what it is about - is it more a love story, or a novel about the survival of a guest worker, an Azerbaijani, in a foreign country?

-"The Lovers" continues the story line of "Gastarbeiter." Two young foreigner friends live in Moscow, one of them meets a young married woman from a rich family, online, and they fall in love. Obviously, this situation cannot be easily resolved, so I think that my readers will not be bored.

-Could you describe a day in the life of writer Bagirov for us?

- I get up as soon as I wake up. I switch on my computer and spend my whole day typing. I type my articles and books. I regularly have meetings, people come to visit me, but all this takes place in my space. I do not like to leave it. And I have breakfast and lunch at my favourite Azeri restaurant, Khurma, on Sadovoye Koltso - everyone knows me there.

- They say that you spend days online. What is this, an addiction? And do you think that internet addiction is an imaginary problem or an illness?

- It is definitely an addiction, and quite a strong one, but certainly not an illness, so there is no need to look for treatment. I have simply got used to receiving a certain amount of information, and I have to get it every day. Without that quantity of information, I do not feel comfortable. But the fact is that large numbers of people watch a lot of TV or read newspapers, and no one calls this an illness! In addition, you should bear in mind that Moscow is a vast megalopolis with terrible traffic problems - there are huge, hours-long jams, and sometimes I don't see some of my many friends more than once or twice a year, even if we live in the same area. So the internet is the only convenient way for people in our city to communicate.

- You are a social activist.  What are you doing now, whose interests are you defending?

- My social activities these days are quite limited. I am very busy - I write almost all the time. But two or three times a month I take part in programmes on Russian TV on the problems of relations between various ethnic groups and religious denominations. I am not a lawyer to defend anyone's interests but, because I take part in these types of TV debates as an Azeri who came to Moscow, I represent Azerbaijanis. Many Russians form their opinion of Azerbaijanis after watching me, so I understand my responsibility. You can draw your own conclusions.

-You stay in touch with the ethnic Azeri community in Moscow, and frequent the events they organize. Whom do you know?

-I regularly meet many Azerbaijanis, and it is impossible to mention all their names in this interview. Of course, I was flattered to be introduced once to Leyla Aliyeva. She is a very pretty girl, a real princess. In addition, she does a lot of work to establish ties between Russians and Azerbaijanis; she implements many very useful image-forming projects, one of which is the magazine 'Baku'. Her work deserves genuine respect. Personally, as an Azerbaijani writer, I find that she helps me achieve some of my goals. And I am grateful for that to Leyla Xanum.

-You seem to be quite knowledgeable about Azerbaijani culture, which is nice to know: after all, you were not born in Azerbaijan. And you told your fans about Tahir Salahov, saying that "if you do not know the name, get out of here and kill yourself by banging your head against the wall, do not pollute the universe..."

-I know the works of Tahir Timurovich very well and find it strange that there are people who do not. Tahir Salahov is a world-class artist; his contribution to the arts is invaluable. That is why I once wrote the words you quoted in my magazine.

-You visited Baku last year. It was your second visit to our city. After that you told the Russian media in an interview that it was the only city which impressed you. Was this the "call of blood"?

-It was not a "call," it was a "voice." These are two different things. I can talk about Baku a lot, and for a long time, although I hardly need to do that in an interview with an Azerbaijani magazine. But for Russians, I will always find many words of praise for this city. The Azerbaijanis know, without my telling them, what is good about their capital.

-You said in an interview that the "enemies of Azerbaijan are my enemies." So who are the true enemies of our country in your opinion? There are many people on the internet who think that Russia is in fact the main enemy.

-The people who say that should be sent for compulsory treatment. These are pure acts of provocation, and absurd ones at that. Russia has never been an enemy of Azerbaijan. And there is no reason why it should ever become one. Russia and Azerbaijan have excellent relations at all levels, and they will only improve with time. How can it be any different if millions of Azerbaijanis live in Russia? As for me, I meant the people who occupy Nagornyy Karabakh. Of course they are certainly not friends. But I think that sooner or later, justice will prevail.

-You have tried your hand at dozens of occupations in your life; even serving as a personal guard to Turkmenbashi. You not only have excellent salesmanship (you were a salesperson) but also, as you say yourself, you know how to use a huge number of firearms. What other purely manual skills have you acquired in life?

-Well, quite a few. I can easily kill a sheep, cook it, change the wiring in an apartment, and beat the hell out of an offender without reflecting too much. So I am not certain that I have to list all my so-called skills: absolutely every normal man can, or should be able to, do everything I can do.

-It is usual for writers to foretell, predict or at least to simply fantasize. So shall we try? What will Azerbaijan be like in the future?

-I am not a sci-fi writer and I am not trying to predict the future. I can only say that Azerbaijan is on the right track of development, the country is governed by wise and competent people, so I am certain that Azerbaijan can only develop further.