Azerbaijani official: No plans to restrict media's role in elections

Azerbaijan will not use administrative resources to limit media's participation in the 2010 parliamentary elections, Presidential Administration Social and Political Department Chief Ali Hasanov said today at an event dedicated to the media's role in covering the elections.

"We want the electoral climate to be completely transparent and fair," Hasanov said.

He added that the electoral process in a democratic society covers three phases - preparing and organizing elections, preparing society for elections through education and holding elections.

Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan are slated for Nov. 7, 2010. The previous elections were held in Nov. 2005. The parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan are held by the majority system in 125 constituencies.  

"Neither international organizations, nor political parties expressed any complaints about the election process during the last elections," Hasanov said.

"But after the election results were announced, so called 'election fraud' was declared. So, the media's role is also to bring the truth to the public by observing the processes impartially," Hasanov noted.


/Trend/