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â€œWhy preparation of opposition to presidential elections and its election activity are not observed?â€ â€“ OPINION POLL

â€œWhy preparation of opposition to presidential elections and its election activity are not observed?â€ <font color=red>â€“ OPINION POLL</font>

16 April 2008 10:42 (UTC +04:00)

Although the opposition is weak in terms of organizational institutions, it has superiority to represent the dissidents. There are still unsolved problems in the countryâ€, Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Chairman of All Azerbaijan Popular Front Party responded APAâ€™s opinion poll â€œWhy preparation of opposition to presidential elections and its election activity are not observed?â€. The party leader thinks that despite current silence in the opposition camp, the elections will be conducted in the atmosphere of serious struggle. â€œOpposition candidates have chance in these electionsâ€. Igbal Agazadeh, Chairman of Umid Party said that generally the society was in apathy. â€œHowever despite that we are seriously preparing for the elections. I accept the general inactivity as a natural process, because previous elections created disappointment, but we are not in apathy and will be better after the election campaign startsâ€.
Fazil Gazanfaroglu, Chairman of the Great System Party related the inactivity of the opposition with disinterest of international organizations in the elections. He said Soros Foundation had also stopped the financing of observation of the elections. â€œPart of NGOs stepped back from the observation at own expenseâ€. Fazil Gazanfaroglu said generally there was enough stagnation in the partiesâ€™ activity. â€œStrengthening of anti-democratic desires and voting processes in other countries of the region also have its impact on this issue. If there are not serious changes in the processes, interest in the elections will remain in this levelâ€.
Arif Hajili, head of the Musavat Partyâ€™s executive office said the oppositionâ€™s inactivity related with that press and television did not give attention to the opposition. â€œLast week, Musavat held a meeting with the participation of young people in its headquarter and branches in four regions, but TV channels didnâ€™t cover those meetingsâ€. Arif Hajili said the opposition camp had not showed enough activity.
Araz Alizadeh, Co-Chairman of the Azerbaijan Social-Democrat Party thinks that opposition doesnâ€™t need for the activity, because foresees the results of the elections. â€œThere is a leader of the elections, this is Ilham Aliyev. He has no rivals among the other candidates. Therefore, opposition is in apathy. They know that they will be defeatedâ€.
Chairman of Citizen and Development Party Ali Aliyev linked the inactivity of the opposition with the lack of democratic election conditions. He thinks that the forces decided to join the elections, hesitating and choosing boycott await the results of the discussions on the Electoral Code.
â€œDelay of these discussions causes inactivityâ€, he said.
Chairman of Classical Popular Front Party Mirmahmud Miralioglu said there was no election atmosphere in the society in general. He considers that not changing the Electoral Code, apathy of the forces that will participate in the elections created this situation.
â€œIt does not only depend on the opposition and candidatesâ€, he said.
Deputy Chairman of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Hasan Karimov linked the inactivity of the opposition with the pre-election situation in the country.
â€œEven if there is no election atmosphere, â€œAzadligâ€ bloc will be active to boycott the electionsâ€, he said.
Leader of Azerbaijan National Independence Party Etibar Mammadov refused to comment on the present situation of the opposition.
Member of the Political Council of New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), MP Siyavush Novruzov said preparation for the elections should be constant work of every party. Novruzov said YAP had been engaged in the preparation for elections for along time and noted that the opposition was inactive, because YAPâ€™s candidate had no alternative.
â€œThose, who want to put forward their candidature, understand that it is useless. Therefore, they are not preparing seriously. On the other hand, our candidateâ€™s reputation, his activities and his keeping promises have created great opportunities. From this aspect, the opposition has no hope to winâ€, he said.
Commenting on the present situation, political scientist Ilgar Mammadov said political forces should prepare election strategy beforehand and act in line with it. The political scientist said this practice was used all over the world and added that Azerbaijani oppositionâ€™s strategy was either wrong, or they had no strategy at all. Mammadov said the next presidential elections in the US coincided with the elections in Azerbaijan.
â€œAll candidates in the US meet with people and express their views. Our candidates are at home. It shows that the opposition has no strategyâ€, he said.