Elections in Azerbaijan may serve as example for other countries

Elections in Azerbaijan may serve as an example for other countries, Chairman of the Central Election Committee (CEC) of Azerbaijan, Mazahir Panahov, made the remarks at a seminar held for heads of regional election committees on February 15.

“We are pleased to see that elections in Azerbaijan are always held in stable social and politic situation,” he noted.

The CEC chairman stressed, that election committees in Azerbaijan have good achievements and the elections held in Azerbaijan may serve as an example for other countries.

Panahov went on to say that thirteen candidates have been nominated for the upcoming presidential election in Azerbaijan, adding that those candidates have submitted their documents to the CEC for approval of the nomination.

“The candidacy of five of them has been approved, while documents of others are being considered,” according to the chairman.

Further, Zeynal Nagdaliyev, chief of the department on work with regional management bodies and local self-management bodies at Azerbaijan’s Presidential Administration said that President Ilham Aliyev has set serious tasks before executive authorities to ensure holding of transparent elections.

“The main task is that the process should be transparent without any breaches of the law, or fraud. Azerbaijan will play the role of an exemplary country in the world in the context of opportunities created at the District Election Commissions. Because, very high opportunities were created for the District Election Commissions, the newest buildings, the newest venues were established for voters to vote in a comfortable way. We are no longer talking about material and technical base, because these issues have long been resolved,” Nagdaliyev emphasized.

He underlined that local executive authorities were instructed to review places for campaigning of candidates and to publish the list in the media.

Addressing the meeting he stated that as many as 1,000 web cameras will be installed for the presidential election in Azerbaijan, adding that the web cameras will be installed in such a way that everyone can watch the election live and register shortcomings.

He remarked that the chairpersons of Constituency Election Commissions play a great role in holding the election at a high level.

“Our main task is to keep and improve Azerbaijan’s image by holding democratic and transparent election, to make the election more organized based on previous experience,” he added.

In turn, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan Farhad Abdullayev mentioned that election process in Azerbaijan is getting more advanced.

“Today, we all, as citizens of Azerbaijan, know that the election process in Azerbaijan has always been carried out in stable environment. I believe the upcoming election to be held transparently in a stable situation,” Abdullayev pointed out.

“We can observe issues with electoral rights in the world countries if we compare. For example, the European Court of Human Rights has numerous decisions limiting rights of voters, especially electoral rights of detainees. Such limitations exist in a number of European states as well, whereas in Azerbaijan there are no such restrictions. That is a very progressive step. The whole electorate of Azerbaijan, including detainees, will participate in the election,” the chairman stressed.

Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova, taking her turn, said that Electoral Code of Azerbaijan is getting more advanced from year to year and better conditions for free voting are created.

Previously, there were some issues concerning voting by the registration place requirement, she added.

“But now people are not required to vote by their registration place. Now every citizen regardless of his/her registration place may vote simply by presenting his/her personal ID. That makes for more comfortable conditions for the voting,” the ombudsman clarified.

Suleymanova explained that necessary conditions are created for physically handicapped as well, including installation of wheelchair ramps.

“I believe, the upcoming presidential election will be held in a free and democratic environment similar to the previous elections,” she concluded.

Speaking of violations, Rustam Usubov, first deputy prosecutor general, stressed that violators of the Azerbaijani electoral legislation will be punished in accordance with the law, further saying that Azerbaijan has created a legal system that meets international standards and there are all the necessary conditions for holding a transparent and fair election in the country.

Public and political stability and democratic electoral legislation in Azerbaijan give grounds to say with certainty that the upcoming presidential election, just like the previous ones, will be held with active participation of the people and in accordance with the law, he noted.

He added that the prosecution agencies investigate complaints and appeals related to the election.

There were no serious law violation appeals to the prosecution agencies during the previous elections in Azerbaijan, according to Usubov.

Next presidential election in Azerbaijan is to be held on April 11, 2018, according to an order signed on February 5 by the country’s President Ilham Aliyev.

Pre-election campaigning starts 23 days prior to the voting day and is stopped 24 hours before the start of voting, according to the Calendar Plan of Azerbaijan’s Central Election Commission.

Thus, the campaigning will start on March 19 and end at 08:00 (local time) on April 10.