'Azerbaijan ambiguously appreciates OSCE proposals on elections'

"There is a different practice in this area in the world. Of course, I can not clearly evaluate these proposals. The OSCE gives us these proposals. As we know, the format of the current electoral commission was created based on the requirements of the organization," Chief of the Legislation and Legal Expertise Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Shahin Aliyev told journalists today.  

The parliamentary elections will be held in Azerbaijan in autumn this year. Earlier the legislative elections were held in November 2005. In Azerbaijan, the parliamentary elections are held by the majority system in 125 electoral districts.

The OSCE has proposed the formation of electoral commissions with participation of neutral parties.Serious work was conducted with the OSCE on the issue of format of electoral commissions, Aliyev said.

"I am surprised that the issue was raised again by the OSCE to the government of Azerbaijan. A new mechanism of formation of election commissions was prepared together with the International Foundation for Election Systems in 2002. According to this mechanism, the electoral commissions should have been formed from representatives of nongovernmental organizations. The government agreed to it in 2002, but unfortunately the OSCE has not adopted the principle of formation of election commissions ", Aliyev said.

The government supports the professional holding of the election process in accordance with the Electoral Code.

"Why is it necessary to change the format of the electoral commissions? This decision must be made only through careful analysis. What will we achieve in the upcoming elections, if we change the format of election commissions?" Aliyev said.


/Trend/