Azernews.Az

The pre-election mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has issued positive reports about conditions in Azerbaijan prior to the October 15 presidential elections.
The five-member delegation which visited the country last week, noted improvements "that should create conditions for a good election."
"Those improvements took account of a number of recommendations made by the Council of Europe`s Venice Commission," the delegation said in a statement on Thursday.
It pointed out, however, that not of all of the recommendations were fully addressed.
The PACE representatives, nevertheless, acknowledged that some key issues, such as equitable representation in electoral commissions or fairness in conducting the campaign, are more a matter of electoral practice than actual law. The commission said it was "heartened" by the assurances it received from top Azerbaijani representatives that their goal is to hold an orderly and well-administered election that complies with European standards.
Concerned about a presumed lack of public interest, the delegation "firmly wishes" that the electorate will take an increasing interest in the campaign that began last Wednesday.
Also, the mission noted its disapproval of many opposition parties` refusing to take part in the elections.
"Though with seven presidential candidates registered, a plurality of choices and competitiveness are to be expected, the decision by five opposition parties not to participate in the vote is most unfortunate. Even if a political party and its leaders fail to see clear prospects of getting voted into power, or they feel that their democratic rights are being limited or even violated, they should, nonetheless, participate in the electoral race in the interests of their supporters," the statement said.
The delegation, thereby, urged all members of the political spectrum to act responsibly and to engage in a meaningful dialogue with each other.
"All political forces, whatever their differences, should go beyond mutual recriminations addressing, instead, the issues of substance in a constructive interplay," it said.
The head of the mission, Andres Herkel, said the non-participation in the poll of some political forces does not indicate that the election will proceed without rivalry, given that seven hopefuls will stand in the election.
Herkel emphasized that the pardon decree enacted by President Ilham Aliyev in August has improved the pre-election climate.
The delegation was in Baku on September 16-18, at the invitation of the Azerbaijani parliament speaker, to assess the political climate in the run-up to the elections and in preparations carried out for the vote. It also met with, among others, the president, the speaker, all presidential candidates, leaders of opposition parties, the ministers of interior and justice, the chairman of the Constitutional Court, civil society and media representatives, as well as members of the diplomatic corps.
A full 30-member PACE observer delegation will arrive in Azerbaijan in October to observe the actual voting.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has registered the leader of the Azerbaijan Liberal-Democratic Party, Fuad Aliyev, and former chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Supreme Council, Gulamhuseyn Alibayli, in addition to the five candidates approved earlier. The CEC previously registered the ruling New Azerbaijan Party`s chairman, incumbent President Ilham Aliyev; the leaders of the Umid (Hope) Party, Igbal Aghazada; the Whole Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, Gudrat Hasanguliyev; Muasir (Modern) Musavat, Hafiz Hajiyev; and Great Establishment Party, Fazil Gazanfaroghlu.
The main opposition leaders, however, are boycotting the elections.