Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

An Azerbaijani ruling party official has praised allocation of state funds to political parties in the country but said they should spend the funds allocated from the state budget "for things useful for society" besides their development.

In May 2012, the Azerbaijani parliament made amendments to the law "On political parties", according to which political parties will be financed from the state budget. Recently, spending on the financing of political parties from next year's state budget was increased by 500,000 manats to 2.5 million manats (over $3.18 million), considering the proposals that a number of MPs voiced during the discussion of the draft budget.

MP Mubariz Gurbanli, who serves as deputy executive secretary of the governing Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party, said on the YAP website on Monday that the experience of allocating budgetary funds to political parties is also observed in other countries.

"Improving socio-economic opportunities in Azerbaijan allows the allocation of funds to political parties from the state budget," he added.

Gurbanli said state budget funds will support the development of political parties and be used for the parties' current expenses.

Relevant legislation specifies funding sources of political parties, he added. So, along with state assistance, this includes membership fees and donations received from different sources.

"From this point of view, funds allocated from the state budget will not suspend the collection of membership fees," Gurbanli said. "The funds allocated by the state will be used in the current conditions to pay for political parties' current expenses."

Gurbanli also said YAP as the country's leading party is capable of covering its expenditure. "Our party will use public funds in a manner consistent with the legislation," he said.

Azerbaijan has a multiparty political system. Political parties have the opportunity to participate in the political life of the country through representation in legislative and local municipal bodies. Thirty-three political parties have been registered by the state so far.

Under passed election legislation, a party must have at least 1,000 members to be legally registered. Party membership is forbidden to government officials in agencies of the judiciary, law enforcement, security, border defense, customs, taxation, finance, and state-run media.

The Milli Majlis, Azerbaijan's parliament, approved the state and consolidated budgets for 2013 on November 30.