Azernews.Az

The Azadlig bloc of three major Azerbaijani opposition parties has announced its decision to boycott the October presidential elections.
The leader of the National Unity Movement represented in the bloc, Lala Shovkat, said the move was mainly due to the changes to the country's Election Code approved in parliament on Monday that she described as "very reactionary".
"No opportunities are emerging either for political rivalry or the election climate. On the contrary, our opportunities have been somewhat restricted further. Talking about a free and fair election in such conditions would be naive."
Political analyst Azer Rashidoghlu says the boycott decision "could cause only short-term tension".
"It will pose no obstacles either for the electoral process or recognition of the election results by the international community," he said.
The analyst added that the effect of the boycott is also diminished by the lack of unity among opposition parties.