President accuses Freedom House of bias
Organizations such as rights watchdog Freedom House
are not objective, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has told the
Italian RAI International TV channel.
Aliyev said that such groups are trying to display Azerbaijan in a negative light.
"For me, personally, the most important evaluation of our performance is the one issued by international groups, but Freedom House is a non-governmental organization with its own agenda and political interests," the president said.
He stressed that Freedom House has some friends among opposition representatives in Azerbaijan, therefore, its statements about the country cannot be considered true.
"The OSCE, the Council of Europe and the European Union - these are serious organizations, while Freedom House and those like it cannot be compared to them," Aliyev said.
The president recalled that observers of the OSCE and the Council of Europe had highly praised Azerbaijan`s October 15 presidential elections.
"This is what`s important for us. The fact is the elections in Azerbaijan were conducted in absolutely normal and transparent conditions, and their outcome reflected the will of the people. Moreover, there were no incoming complaints about the results or illegitimacy of elections."
Aliyev said Azerbaijan was rapidly advancing toward the rule of real democracy and the process of democratization in the country was in full swing. "However, this is a long road that is not always easy and, at times, painstaking."
The president also severely criticized the assessment of the international NGO Transparency International, which has downgraded Azerbaijan`s corruption rating.
Aliyev said that such groups are trying to display Azerbaijan in a negative light.
"For me, personally, the most important evaluation of our performance is the one issued by international groups, but Freedom House is a non-governmental organization with its own agenda and political interests," the president said.
He stressed that Freedom House has some friends among opposition representatives in Azerbaijan, therefore, its statements about the country cannot be considered true.
"The OSCE, the Council of Europe and the European Union - these are serious organizations, while Freedom House and those like it cannot be compared to them," Aliyev said.
The president recalled that observers of the OSCE and the Council of Europe had highly praised Azerbaijan`s October 15 presidential elections.
"This is what`s important for us. The fact is the elections in Azerbaijan were conducted in absolutely normal and transparent conditions, and their outcome reflected the will of the people. Moreover, there were no incoming complaints about the results or illegitimacy of elections."
Aliyev said Azerbaijan was rapidly advancing toward the rule of real democracy and the process of democratization in the country was in full swing. "However, this is a long road that is not always easy and, at times, painstaking."
The president also severely criticized the assessment of the international NGO Transparency International, which has downgraded Azerbaijan`s corruption rating.
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