Azernews.Az

The amount of state budget funds designated for the campaigns of candidates running in Azerbaijan`s October 15 presidential election has more than doubled, the Central Election Commission (CEC) chairman has said.
Mazahir Panahov told reporters on Friday that a total of 144,000 manats ($177,000), or 28,800 manats per candidate, has been allocated for the presidential election.
"The funds have been equally divided among five of the seven hopefuls participating in the election and were transferred to their election funds today," he said.
Panahov said the other two candidates - the leaders of the Whole Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan Gudrat Hasanguliyev and Muasir (Modern) Musavat Party`s Hafiz Hajiyev - were not granted state funds due to their failure to repay them during the previous presidential election.
According to the Election Code, hopefuls failing to secure at least 5% of the popular vote are required to repay the allocated funds.
Just last week the CEC announced that only 12,000 manats ($14,800) per candidate would be allotted for the campaigns.
Besides Hasanguliyev and Hajiyev, the CEC has certified as candidates for the upcoming presidential election the ruling New Azerbaijan Party`s chairman, incumbent President Ilham Aliyev; the leader of the Azerbaijan Liberal-Democratic Party, Fuad Aliyev; the former chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Supreme Council, Gulamhuseyn Alibayli; as well as the leaders of the Umid (Hope) Party, Igbal Aghazada and Great Establishment Party, Fazil Gazanfaroghlu. However, the main opposition leaders are boycotting the elections.