21/10/2010 Election observation
Strasbourg, 21.10.2010 – A five-member, cross-party delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) visiting Azerbaijan ahead of the 7 November parliamentary elections has welcomed an overall calm atmosphere in the run-up to the elections. “This is a positive departure from the ways of the past where electoral campaigns were marred by violence and mutual recriminations,” the delegation said. “Improvements in the work of the Central Election Commission, the voter education programme launched by it, and greater attention to the quality of the voters’ lists, should be commended.”
The delegation continued: “In a welcome development and in contrast to some earlier elections, the Azerbaijani opposition is actively involved in the electoral race. It is making attempts at forging electoral blocs and trying to overcome competing individual agendas. Building electoral alliances is usually part and parcel of a democratic process. The delegation also welcomes the new possibilities created for non-governmental organisations to be involved in the electoral procedures.
Yet, once again, the PACE delegation has not witnessed a competition of substantive political ideas, platforms or approaches. Furthermore, this is exacerbated by the lack of any public debate (including TV debates) that would help the electorate to make an educated choice on election day.
The delegation was also concerned about allegations that the pre-electoral situation is characterised by administrative pressures and difficulties relating to candidate registration. Harassment of some journalists and bloggers, instances of which were brought to the attention of the delegation, is not conducive to a constructive dialogue within society. Corrective action is urgently needed.
While the existing legislation does provide for universal suffrage in Azerbaijan, the very numerous Azerbaijanis residing abroad will only be able to vote in the parliamentary elections if they return to their constituencies in the country on voting day. This compromises the principle of universality of voting rights.
Also, people with disabilities should have better possibilities to vote, for instance through the setting up of polling stations in hospitals.
A comprehensive compendium of earlier PACE proposals to improve the electoral process in Azerbaijan can be found, inter alia, in PACE Resolution 1750 (2010) on the functioning of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan.
Finally, the delegation calls on Baku to rectify the situation with entry visas for observers. If, contrary to official declarations, those cannot be issued upon arrival, this should be made known to would-be observers for them to avoid unpleasant surprises en route to Baku.”
The delegation was in Baku from 18 to 21 October 2010 at the invitation of the Speaker of the Milli Majlis and will return, as part of a full-scale, 30-member PACE delegation, to observe actual voting. The delegation had meetings with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court, the Minister of the Interior, as well as with a representative cross-section of political parties and electoral blocs, civil society and the media. It also had discussions with the Head of the OSCE ODIHR Election Observation Mission and members of the diplomatic community.
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1. The delegation was made up of Paul Wille (Belgium, ALDE), Head of Delegation, Pedro Agramunt (Spain, EPP/CD), Tadeusz Iwinski (Poland, SOC), Øyvind Vaksdal (Norway, EDG) and Jaakko Laakso (Finland, UEL).