Baku. Farid Mirzayev – APA. The Azerbaijani Constitutional Court has approved the draft Referendum Act on making amendments to the country’s Constitution.
On July 18, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on submitting the draft Referendum Act “On making amendments to the Constitution of Azerbaijan” to the Constitutional Court.
In this regard, the Constitutional Court held a plenary session on Monday with the participation of eight judges.
Shahin Aliyev, head of the department of legislation and legal expertise of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, also attended the session.
Judge Kamran Shafiyev presented the draft Referendum Act “On making amendments to the Constitution of Azerbaijan”.
Judge Rafael Gvaladze, in turn, said that to freely determine their own destiny and to establish the form of government is the sovereign right of the people of Azerbaijan. He noted that the Azerbaijani people can decide any matter relating to their rights and interests by a referendum.
Issues of making amendments to Azerbaijan’s Constitution and changing the country’s state borders can only be decided by a referendum, he added.
Thoroughly explaining the draft document, Shahin Aliyev, head of the department of legislation and legal expertise of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, noted that seven years have passed since the introduction of the latest amendments to Azerbaijan’s Constitution.
Taking into account the demands of the process of new development that took place in Azerbaijan over the past seven years, the Azerbaijani president submitted the draft Referendum Act “On making amendments to the Constitution of Azerbaijan” to the Constitutional Court”, according to the department head.
“It’s proposed to edit the 1st part of the Article 9 as follows – “the Republic of Azerbaijan creates the Armed Forces to ensure its security and protection. The Armed Forces consist of the Azerbaijani Army and other armed formations”, said Shahin Aliyev. “It is proposed to create a joint committee of chiefs of staff of other armed formations –-the State Border Service, the Interior Troops–- during military operations and subordinate these armed formations directly to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.”
He called the application of the age limit for MP candidates a discrimination.
Aliyev also touched upon the issue of extending the presidential term from five to seven years. “The presidential term in Austria and Finland is seven years while in Russia it is six years. The state allocates sufficient funds for the elections,” he said.
Then, the judges left for a discussion.
Following the discussion, Chairman of the Constitutional Court Farhad Abdullayev announced the approval of the draft Referendum Act.
The Constitutional Court considers that the proposed amendments that don’t run contrary to the provisions of the Azerbaijani Constitution on the principles of democracy and state, as well as meet the requirements of the Article 155 can be put to a referendum, Abdullayev noted.
He added that the decision comes into force from the date of its publication. The decision is final and no person or body can revoke or change it.
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10:16
Baku. Farid Mirzayev – APA. Azerbaijani Constitutional Court on Monday started a meeting to consider the draft amendments to the country’s constitution at the plenary session.
On July 18, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on submitting the draft Referendum Act “On making amendments to the Constitution of Azerbaijan” to the Constitutional Court.
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