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International Experts Discuss Election Code in Azerbaijan

Politics Materials 7 February 2008 16:14 (UTC +04:00)
International Experts Discuss Election Code in   Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 February / Trend corr. K.Ramazanova / Discussions on the election system of Azerbaijan began in Baku by experts of the Council of Europe Venice Commission and Azerbaijan on 7 February, the Baku Office of Council of Europe reported.

The discussions to improve the Election Code of Azerbaijan have been held on the threshold of the presidential elections scheduled for October 2008.

The representatives of the Venice Commission will hold meetings in the Azerbaijani parliament, Executive Apparatus and Central Election Commission. The topic of the meetings is the disputed decisions by election bodies, the composition of election commissions and problems connected with the registration of the candidates.

The new version of the Election Code was submitted to Parliament and will be discussed in the near future. Details of changes made in the Election Code have not been divulged.

The round table, with participation of representatives of Venice Commission, OSCE and Azerbaijani State including, and for the first time, representatives of Azerbaijani political parties, was held in Baku at the beginning of November. The topic of the meeting was the disputed decisions by election bodies, the composition of election commissions and problems connected with registration of candidates.

Under the current Election Code, appeals are considered by high-ranking election commissions and courts. The Venice Commission representatives propose to short the appeals consideration term.

The work over the Code was planned to be completed by autumn. However, the process was delayed due to positions of opposition parties concerning the formation of the composition of election commissions. The Azadlig bloc, who unites three opposition parties, submitted to Venice Commission a set of proposals on amendments and supplements into the Election Code in June. The proposals reflected the formation of the composition of the election commissions on the parity basis.

The Venice Commission, OSCE and Azerbaijan agreed to introduce changes into the Code concerning the Article on fingerprints during the election process within the framework of the joint work. The sides agreed not to use envelopes during voting.

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