Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan’s ruling party has said legal framework created in the country allows to hold a fair and democratic parliamentary election in November.

"The Azerbaijani government has ensured all the conditions required for holding a parliamentary election in accord with democratic norms and values," deputy chairman of the ruling Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party (YAP), Ali Ahmadov, told a news conference Wednesday.

Ahmadov said further that YAP has successfully completed the first stage of the pre-election campaign. All but two of the 114 candidates nominated to stand in the poll have been registered after passing the required procedures.

"48 of YAP nominees are currently members of the Milli Majlis (parliament) and eight of them are members of the National Academy of Sciences. 10 people are principals of higher schools, and about 20 candidates are PhD of science and professors. 24 of the candidates nominated by the party are women."

Ahmadov said YAP has already expelled three of up to ten members who had joined the election race on their own, without the party’s approval. "The estranged YAP members are persons who are not known very well."

Ahmadov expressed confidence that YAP will be successful at the polls.

"YAP’s success is linked to several factors. Primarily, this is due to the influence of the party chairman, President Ilham Aliyev among the population. People’s trust in President Aliyev is reflected upon voters’ support for YAP’s candidates."

Ahmadov said that since YAP’s candidates were registered for elections in over 60 constituencies, the party is entitled to free air time on television. "But if other parties do not gain this right, YAP will not avail of it either."

Parliamentary elections are held in Azerbaijan by the majority of votes in 125 constituencies.