Ruling party 'to nominate presidential candidate in line with legislation'
By Nigar Orujova
The ruling Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party will nominate its presidential candidate in accordance with the electoral legislation "when the time comes", deputy executive secretary of the party Bahar Muradova said Tuesday.
"We do not care about the opposition's concerns," Muradova, deputy speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, told the press when asked why the ruling party did not announce its candidate during its 20th anniversary celebrations on November 16.
Muradova noted that incumbent President Ilham Aliyev is certain to be the ruling party's candidate.
"All members of the ruling party, all citizens supporting this party, and all Azerbaijani citizens supporting Ilham Aliyev's policy want to see him as president for the next five years," she added.
The presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan in 2013. The upcoming election race brings to the forefront the issue of nomination of candidates.
Siyavush Novruzov, who also serves as deputy executive secretary of the ruling party, said on Tuesday he does not believe the Azerbaijani opposition will have a single candidate at the elections.
"We have previously said that the opposition will not nominate a single candidate," he said. "This is impossible because the opposition leaders have their own ambitions and there is a struggle for power within their camp."
According to Novruzov, Musavat and Azerbaijan Popular Front Party are exchanging accusations as before.
"Nothing will change in society if Isa Gambar [Musavat Party leader] or Ali Kerimli becomes a presidential candidate, because they have lost the elections very badly. It would be better if they put forward their candidacies for municipal, rather than presidential elections," he said.
In turn, head of Musavat party's Executive Office Arif Hajili said the approaching election day will increase the importance of candidate nomination.
"Isa Gambar is one of the worthiest persons for the presidency and his nomination for the presidential election is quite natural," Hajili said.
However, deputy head of the Popular Front Party Fuad Qehremanli, member of the Public Chamber umbrella opposition group, upholds an idea of nominating a single Public Chamber candidate.
"We support the Public Chamber's decision on the matter, as we regulate our mutual actions by collective decisions, and these decisions are the basis of our future actions," Qehremanli said.
The Popular Front Party will nominate its candidate when the Public Chamber starts to decide on a single nominee, he added.