“The organization of exit-polls in Azerbaijan is a security of democratic and fair elections,” Fikret Mammadov, the Azerbaijani Justice Minister, told a conference on �Elections and democratic development’ held in Baku on Monday.
The Justice Minister underlined that the country’s authorities, in particular, President Ilham Aliyev, attaches special importance to the necessity of holding elections in line with the international norms. It was once more reiterated in the presidential decree “On the improvement of the elections experience, dated 11 May 2005. “In his every tour of the regions President Aliyev underlines the necessity of holding necessary actions to bring the preparations for the elections in the regions in line with the article of the decree,” Mammadov stressed.
He in particular noted that the legislative base of Azerbaijan enables to hold fair and democratic elections. Mammadov informed that today the Central Elections Commission (CEC) registered a total of 2035 candidates to MP, or 5 times more as compared to previous elections held in 2000. The Justice Minister reminded that the registration of candidates will continue by 7 September. However, today on 907 candidates of the total are independent.
Mammadov announced that as of 1 September 2005 a total of 37 television and radio stations, 28 information agencies, 2200 newspapers have functioned in Azerbaijan. The Justice Minister has registered 50 political parties, including 8 which were issued certificate early August. He noted that from the beginning of 2005 the Justice Ministry registered 200 non-governmental organizations. In the end Mammadov touched upon the reforms held in legal system. He noted that they were brought in line with the European Charter on Judges. В"In September 2005 we are going to hold elections to the post of judges, which will certainly meet the relevant international standards.