Araz Alizade: "Opposition parties and movements will gain 20-25% altogether during the presidential elections in Azerbaijan"

- How do you evaluate chances of local opposition at the upcoming presidential elections and who will be the candidate from the Social-Democratic Party of Azerbaijan?

- The Social-Democratic party of Azerbaijan has not yet nominated its candidate for the upcoming presidential elections. As for chances of all the rest opposition parties and movements, they will gain 20-25% votes altogether. The remaining part will go to working president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

- And how do you assess plans of Azadlyg bloc to boycott presidential elections?

- This is a next nonsense of a part of our opposition, which is used to call itself Ana Mukhalifet (Main opposition), as wise people learn on the mistakes of others. Say yourselves, how can we call a category of people, who do not learn on the mistakes of other parties and movements? I would remind that the Social-Democratic Party already boycotted the presidential and parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan in 1998 and 2000. This had no effect. On the contrary, by distancing ourselves from election processes, we were started to be forgotten by the society, while it is axiom that for a politician it is critical to be always on public.

- But what do the Azadlyg bloc leaders count on declaring boycott of elections and dooming themselves to distancing from the election process, during which they could remind of themselves?

- They seem to hope that their whims will be taken into account once more. Moreover, all these actions of the parties, represented in the Azadlyg bloc prove that they are well aware of minimal chances for winning any significant percents at the upcoming elections. They have neither administrative nor financial resources or people's support.

- But what will the parties, represented in the Azadlyg bloc, to whom the society does not trust any, if they deprive themselves of the chance to remind about their party, which they have during the election campaign?

- The specter of the engagements, which can be undertaken by these people, who are are aware that they are not the yesterday but the remote past on the political arena, is quite wide. But I think they will not quit the policy as it is a sinecure for them.

- But it is well known that a democratic party can not be without opposition. In this case, what should we do?

- Before answering one philosophical question, it is necessary to answer another one which is: "who is to be blamed?". It is necessary to investigate the reasons we have attained such a political situation inside the country. For this purpose, the leaders of Azerbaijani opposition should admit their mistakes and apologize to people. Unfortunately our Ana Mukhalifet representatives will never do it.

On the whole, our youth should be actively involved in the politics to change the situation in the country. Unfortunately, our youth does not engage in the politics, as it sees the poor role of opposition politicians and complete indifference of people to their own fate. In these conditions to engage in the politics is a thankless business.

/Day.Az/