Nomination and approval of presidential candidates underway
By Aynur Jafarova
The process of nomination and approval of presidential candidates and collection of signatures in support of approved nominees is underway in Azerbaijan, ahead of the presidential elections due on October 9.
The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) has presented the signature list to the Central Election Commission (CEC) for the registration of its chairman, President Ilham Aliyev as a presidential candidate, NAP Deputy Executive Secretary Siyavush Novruzov told Trend news agency on August 20.
Novruzov went on to say that some 900 signature lists with 45,000 signatures, as well as the documents required for official registration, have been submitted to the CEC.
According to the law, the signatures must be submitted at least 50 days before the election, and no later than 30 days before the election.
The senior electoral body approved Ilham Aliyev's candidacy for participation in the 2013 presidential elections on August 10.
Speaking at the CEC meeting held on August 20, CEC chairman Mazahir Panahov said that the process of verifying the signature lists of the candidate from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party has already begun.
According to him, 64 observers for upcoming presidential elections have applied to the CEC to date.
In total, the documents of 17 candidates have been presented. These include NAP chairman, President Ilham Aliyev, the leaders of Azadlig Party Ahmed Oruj and Citizens and Development Party Ali Aliyev, Liberal Democratic Party's Fuad Aliyev, Umid Party's Igbal Aghazade, United People's Front Party's Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Social-Democratic Party's Araz Alizade, Modern Musavat Party's Hafiz Hajiyev, the leader of the National Revival Party Faraj Guliyev, the leader of Adalat Party Ilyas Ismayilov; director of the East-West research center Arastun Orujlu; as well as lawyer Ilgar Mammadov (Altai), MP Zahid Oruj, Elshan Hasanov, Ismayil Yusifov, Gudrat Isagov, and Ilgar Mammadov, who nominated their candidacies upon their own initiative.
14 of them were approved as presidential candidates: Ilham Aliyev, Ahmed Oruj, Ilgar Mammadov (Altai), Igbal Aghazade, Fuad Aliyev, Ali Aliyev, Araz Alizade, Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Hafiz Hajiyev, Zahid Oruj, Faraj Guliyev, Arastun Orujlu, Elshan Hasanov and Ismayil Yusifov.
According to the Constitution, the president of Azerbaijan is elected for a five-year term through general, direct and equal elections, by free, private and secret voting.
Azerbaijani citizens who have the right of election, an initiative group of electors, political parties and blocs of political parties are entitled to nominating candidates.
All candidates must submit the required documents to the CEC from August 20 to September 9.
A candidate who gets a signature list should return it within a week and after that the CEC will solve the issue regarding his/her official registration.
The official election campaign will begin 23 days before the election. It will take place from September 16 to October 8.
Free airtime and space for publications will be allocated for registered presidential candidates as part of the pre-election campaign. Free air time will be allocated to candidates on Public Television and Radio Broadcasting company, while space for publications will be provided in Azerbaijan, Khalq Gazeti, Respublika and Bakinskiy Rabochiy newspapers.
If other broadcasters and periodicals decide to allocate paid air time and space for publication within the pre-election campaign, they are required to notify the CEC. Information about the conditions and payment is to be published no later than 35 days after the official announcement of the decision to schedule the elections.
Earlier the CEC appealed to the media in connection with the need to comply with legal requirements of the election campaign before the upcoming presidential elections.
According to the electoral law, the campaign can only be conducted from September 16 until 18:00 on October 8 and only by those authorized for such activity as stipulated by the legislation and in compliance with the pertinent rules, the CEC said.
According to the CEC, publication and dissemination of materials in the media which contradict the above-mentioned requirements and may cause violation of the rules as well as campaign materials that are in favor of or against any candidate (approved candidate) are prohibited.
The CEC called on the media to act in accordance with the law and the democratic requirements to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
The CEC also believes that the heads of media outlets will play an important role in strengthening the country's international image and duly fulfill their duties during this significant nationwide event.