|
Press-release,
26 October 2005
|
EXECUTIVE ORDER OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN ON IMMEDIATE MEASURES IN CONNECTION WITH PREPARATION FOR AND CONDUCTING OF THE ELECTIONS TO THE MILLI MAJLIS (PARLIAMENT) OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN
Preparation campaign of the November 6, 2005 elections to Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan has entered into the final stage. As a result of intense work carried out by the election commissions and executive bodies during the period of preparation for elections, the necessary organizational and legal measures were undertaken and considerable success in conducting the election campaigning achieved. Registration of the candidates was implemented in a free and organized way; they have encountered no artificial obstacles and impact of subjective factors during the registration was minimized. The election commissions were provided with modern equipment and the process continues. Registration of more than two thousand candidates, their numerous meetings with voters, implementation of the pre-election campaigning freely and on equal basis, carrying out debates on TV and radio channels, broad use of visual aids, etc. are among the main characteristic features of the current election campaign.
With a view of providing implementation of the rights of freedom of assembly for the citizens in all cities and regions of Azerbaijan, appropriate places have been specified, which promoted creation of adequate conditions for the candidates to meet with the voters. State-sponsored or state budget - financed TV and radio bodies, in accordance with the election legislation, have provided the candidates of political parties and blocs of political parties with candidates registered in more than 60 constituencies with equal free-of-charge broadcasting time and this time is actively being used for electoral propaganda. It must be noted that amount of this broadcasting time on state channels is doubled compared with previous elections. Paid broadcasting time is widely used at the state and private broadcasting channels. For the first time in the election practice, voter cards are used and this work has to be improved through sharing in the experience of other countries. It must be stressed that this year, the all voter lists nation-wide have been placed on the Internet.
Along with this, some outstanding problems, incoming information about cases of violation of a number of requirements contained in the Election Code, certainly cause concern. Complaints about deficiencies in providing freedom of assembly of citizens, distribution of voter cards and compiling voter lists, and also about illegal intrusion of some executive authorities in the elections process, abuse of administrative resources, use by individual candidates during pre-election campaigning of methods prohibited by the law and other facts continue.
With a view of increasing efficiency of the measures to improve election practices, full and unconditional realization during preparation for elections and on the day of voting of the terms of the Election Code, more comprehensive guarantees of citizens' election rights, I hereby resolve:
1. To offer to the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan to discuss the question of removing from the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On non-governmental organizations (public associations and foundations)" the ban on observation in the presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections conducted in the Republic of Azerbaijan by the NGOs with more than 30 percent share in the seed capital of or financed in other way by foreign legal and physical entities.
2. To recommend that the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan: 2.1. taking into account the problems with distribution of voter cards and update of voter lists, in the short time prepares and submits for reviewing by the Central Election Commission instruction on rules of marking by invisible ink of the voters' fingers when receiving the ballots on the day of vote;
2.2. in the short time prepares and adopts instruction on rules of consideration of complaints about infringement on election rights, received by election commissions;
2.3. expresses resolute position on violations of law committed by candidates during pre-election campaigning, uses fully and steadily the administrative penalty power invested in it by the Law;
2.4. ensures adequate conditions in the precinct commissions for all interested persons to get acquainted with voter lists containing full addresses of voters;
3. To charge the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan with providing issuance of identification cards before the day of elections to the citizens not possessing any documents certifying their identity;
4. Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Joint-Stock Company "Azerenergy" and local executive authorities are to undertake necessary measures for uninterrupted communication and the electric power flow to the buildings of district and precinct election commissions;
5. To charge the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and local executive authorities to create, in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On freedom of assembly", all necessary conditions for political parties, blocs of political parties and candidates to conduct mass functions and pre-election campaigning in the specified areas;
6. To recommend that the Office of the Prosecutor - General of the Republic of Azerbaijan investigates urgently the communications of the Central Election Commission on violations of citizens' election rights with presumed criminal element, and to secure that persons recognized guilty of committing criminal actions are brought to justice.
7. Relevant state bodies are to present, within five days, to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan reports on fulfilling the tasks stipulated by the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated May 11, 2005 "On improvement of election practices in the Republic of Azerbaijan".
8. The present Order enters into force on the date of signing.
Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku,
October 25, 2005
|
|
