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Azerbaijani opposition has different opinions on the boycotting of presidential elections â€“ POLL

Azerbaijani opposition has different opinions on the boycotting of presidential elections <font color=red>â€“ POLL</font>

03 June 2008 13:08 (UTC +04:00)

He said elimination of deposit, reducing of campaign period and changing of campaign terms complicated the situation. â€œMaking such changes in two weeks before the start of campaign created the new situation in Azerbaijan. Non-participation in the elections is seen more thematicâ€.
Chairman of Azerbaijan Democratic Party Sardar Jalaloglu supports the participation in the elections. He said supporters of boycott grouped against him inside the party. â€œThey said we should boycott the elections categorically, but I think that the elections can be evaluated not only for its legal basis and pre-election period, but also for the election period and its results. Despite that tendency of boycott increased inside the party and they intensify pressure up to me and number of boycott supporters increases. If the elected bodies of the party will make decision on it I have to obey to this decisionâ€.
Chairman of All Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Gudrat Hasanguliyev said annexes and amendments to the Electoral Code was step back, but it is necessary to participate in the elections. â€œThe partyâ€™s position is that democratic elections cannot depend on the electoral law. Democratic elections mean the joining of all political forces in the country to the fair elections and fulfilling of laws.
If elections and law are falsified, democratization of law will not be important. We should prevent it. If the efforts remain without result, the persons should be exposed. We will not achieve anything without any effort. We will attend the elections,â€ he said.
Chairman of Assembly of Musavat Party Sulhaddin Akbar said that Party Assembly decided to boycott the elections basing on the situation. Akbar noted that decision of assembly is not unambiguous. He added that new situation is created after amendments and annexes to the Electoral Code.
â€œPolitical situation has been made clear and we have begun to reconsider the situation. It is difficult to say something concretely beforehand and the issue is discussed by leadership of party. If Assembly of Party assumes responsibility, it will pass last decision. Otherwise, the meeting will be held at the Assembly,â€ he said.
Secretary General of National Independence Party Fuad Mukhtarov stated that there are many members in Party who supported to boycott the elections.
â€œBoycott supporters stated that they were just after amendments to electoral Code. Methinks, it is not right to participate in the elections with this law,â€ he said. General opinion will be debated at the meeting of Political Council of Party soon and the last decision will be passed.
Open Society Party will attend the elections, if the situation is changed positively. Deputy Head of Party Yagub Abbasov told APA that the party will pass last decision on it in June.
â€œIf the situation is not changed, media is pressured and migrants are not allowed to arrive in Azerbaijan, we will not attend the elections. There is no need to establish background in this situation,â€ he said.
Head of Umid Party Igbal Agazadeh noted that they will not conduct any discussion in Party on it.
â€œWe will not expect that amendments and annexes to electoral Code will be better than previous one and we have not illusions on it. We should participate in the elections for the democratization of the society and implantation of commitments at the international organizations. We should not be pessimist in the struggle for rights of citizens. We want people to be active in the election,â€ he said.
Azadlig block â€“ Azerbaijan People Front Party, National Union Movement, Citizen and Development Party have already passed a decision to boycott the elections.