Major opposition parties to boycott dialog with authorities
Major Azerbaijani opposition parties have decided to boycott
discussions with the authorities the Council of Europe Venice
Commission plans to organize on Friday.
The goal of the meeting is to mull changes and supplements to the country's Election Code.
The boycott decision was passed by the Musavat party, Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), the Azerbaijan Liberal Party (ALP) and the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP).
Musavat deputy chairman Arif Hajily said the opposition was seeking a change in the format of talks and could take part in them if their proposals were accepted. "Drawing political parties that have no real power to the process merely aims to create a vision of change. We therefore believe that parties with real power that are interested in the appointment of [their] representatives to election commissions should participate in talks."
Hajily declined to cite the parties he would not like to see at the negotiating table but enumerated a few that should participate in his opinion.
"The parties whose structure encompasses the entire territory of the republic are known -these are [the ruling] New Azerbaijan Party, Musavat, PFPA and several other parties. But in any case, there are less than 20 such parties, therefore, the participation of that many at the roundtable is inappropriate," Hajily said.
The goal of the meeting is to mull changes and supplements to the country's Election Code.
The boycott decision was passed by the Musavat party, Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), the Azerbaijan Liberal Party (ALP) and the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP).
Musavat deputy chairman Arif Hajily said the opposition was seeking a change in the format of talks and could take part in them if their proposals were accepted. "Drawing political parties that have no real power to the process merely aims to create a vision of change. We therefore believe that parties with real power that are interested in the appointment of [their] representatives to election commissions should participate in talks."
Hajily declined to cite the parties he would not like to see at the negotiating table but enumerated a few that should participate in his opinion.
"The parties whose structure encompasses the entire territory of the republic are known -these are [the ruling] New Azerbaijan Party, Musavat, PFPA and several other parties. But in any case, there are less than 20 such parties, therefore, the participation of that many at the roundtable is inappropriate," Hajily said.
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