Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

In light of the approaching presidential elections in Azerbaijan, the number of international organizations that intend to observe the vote is on the increase.

This year missions from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), GUAM and other international organizations will observe the October 9 elections.

The GUAM Secretariat told the Baku-based Trend news agency on August 27 that a GUAM observation mission plans to conduct large-scale monitoring of the presidential elections in Azerbaijan, meet with presidential candidates and visit a large number of polling stations both in the capital Baku and in the country's regions.

Around 310 professional observers from the OSCE/ODIHR will observe the presidential elections, 30 of whom are long-term and 280 short-term observers.

According to the program of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, the core team of the election observation mission consists of 13 international experts.

Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) will also send observers to the presidential elections in Azerbaijan. According to the Russian CEC secretary Nikolai Konkin, two groups will be sent to Azerbaijan. One of the groups will include CEC members and the other will be formed by the heads of the electoral commissions of some subjects of Russia.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament announced that Azerbaijan is no longer included in the list of countries where an observation mission is needed at elections.

Earlier the European Union delegation jointly with the EU Heads of Mission of the member countries and in association with the diplomatic missions of the U.S. and Norway issued a statement on the 2013 presidential elections and support for democracy in Azerbaijan.

The EU Delegation expressed its sincere desire and hope for an inclusive, transparent and credible electoral process. The EU voiced its readiness to support the government's efforts and the endeavors of civil society representatives who are willing to engage in a constructive dialogue with the government about the steps that can be taken to prepare and provide for a fully inclusive, transparent and credible election process, the statement said.

New candidates approved

The process of the nomination and approval of presidential candidates and collection of signatures in support of approved nominees is underway in Azerbaijan.

One of the candidates, chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, President Ilham Aliyev has already been registered by the CEC.

Furthermore, in the past few days the CEC approved the candidacies of Jamil Hasanli, a single candidate from the opposition National Council, and self-nominated candidate Ilgar Mammadov.

Thus, the number of election candidates reached 17.

Chairman of the CEC Mazahir Panahov said two more candidates - self-nominated Rauf Guliyev and Ibrahim Rustambayli - have submitted their documents to the senior electoral body.

Meanwhile, the CEC denied the registration of the candidacy of Rustam Ibrahimbayov. CEC secretary Arifa Mukhtarova said that the documents of Ibrahimbayov submitted to the election commission were examined and it was decided that approval of his candidacy is impossible. It was revealed that Ibrahimbayov has dual (Russian and Azerbaijani) citizenship. Over ten years Ibrahimbayov has lived in Azerbaijan for only 1,163 days and he has obligations before Russia, Mukhtarova said.

CEC deputy chairman Natig Mammadov said on August 27, "We have made an official decision and its legality raises no doubt."

According to him, everything regarding this decision was clearly explained from the viewpoint of logic and legislation.

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.