President: Azerbaijani people to freely express will at referendum

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 25

Trend:

President of the Repubic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received the Referendum Assessment Mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Led by Aleksandar Nikoloski, the mission includes monitoring co-rapporteurs for Azerbaijan Stefan Schennach and Cezar Florin Preda among others.

President Aliyev said the Azerbaijani government has worked to ensure the maximum transparency in the referendum on amendments to the Constitution of Azerbaijan to be held on September 26. The president said the people of Azerbaijan will freely express their will, adding that all necessary measures were taken to ensure this.

President Aliyev noted the importance of the fact that the Referendum Assessment Mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe visited Azerbaijan with a large delegation.

The president said Azerbaijan was a very active member of the Council of Europe.

Azerbaijan has maintained historic cooperation with the organization for more than 15 years, said the president, adding that these years were critical for the country`s development, modernization and transformation.

President Aliyev said Azerbaijan enjoys close cooperation with European institutions in various formats.

Head of the Referendum Assessment Mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Aleksandar Nikoloski said the delegation includes representatives of different political groups. He thanked the leadership of Azerbaijan and the country`s parliament for creating conditions for them to monitor the referendum.

Nikoloski said all necessary conditions were ensured for conducting the referendum. He said

Azerbaijan is a very important country for the Council of Europe.

The sides also discussed Azerbaijan-PACE cooperation.

They then posed for photographs.