Azerbaijan's Public TV director meets head of OSCE observation mission

The head of the OSCE ODIHR Election Observation mission on parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan Ambassador Audrey Glover, who will observe the elections to Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, visited today the Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company and met the Director-General Ismail Omarov.

At the meeting Audrey Glover took interest in the parliamentary elections-related works done by Public TV.

Director-General I. Omarov said that according to the legislation, Public TV and Radio carries out the main media function during the election process. He said that over the 5-year period of its activity the Public TV and Radio would give the coverage of the parliamentary elections second time. Prior to it, the Public TV took part in one presidential, one referendum, and one municipal election.

Public TV Director-General reminded that according to the Election Code, 1/3rd of total free airtime on TV and radio should be allocated for registered candidates, political parties and blocks of political parties, which have registered candidates in more than 60 single-mandate constituencies, to conduct discussions, round tables and other election campaigning actions, and added that presently this quota has been filled out only by New Azerbaijan Party: "But for the purpose of ensuring the activity during the election process, together with the Central Election Commission we decided to allocate all candidates equal free airtime. Thus at Public TV we allocated to all candidates, registered in 118 constituencies, free airtime for campaign activities.

Omarov said that a number of the registered candidates is more than 700 people and a round-table would be hosted for each constituency. At each round-table it’s stipulated approximately 30 candidates’ speech. Each candidate is allocated 4 minutes of airtime. They will make speech in accordance with the registration order. The Director-General also said that the free airtime at the Nakhchivan State Television would be allocated for candidates’ campaign from 7 constituencies of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Omarov also added that all political parties-related information would be covered within the same form and time: "Unambiguously, the positive news will be covered. In other words, no force will be allowed to spread the "black PR" against another one. "

The Ambassador Audrey Glover highly appreciated Public TV’s position and wished success its staff in the activity of the election process.


/APA/