Azerbaijan, Baku, 13 March / Trend corr. S.Ilhamgizi / The Liberal Party of Azerbaijan (LPA) will participate in the upcoming presidential elections, if the pre-election situation is changed.
"LPA is always ready to participate in the upcoming elections. But we will take part in the presidential elections only if our demands are met," Lala Shovkat, leader of LPA and co-founder of Azadlig bloc, stated to Trend .
Ali Karimli, chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), said that the party had started preparations for the presidential elections. He stated that, neither the bloc nor the parties, has stated the final decision about the boycott of elections. "We still have not changed our decision. We will boycott if our demands are not met," Karimli added.
Shovkat believes that Azadlig will be ready to participate in the presidential elections, if democratic conditions are created on the threshold of elections. "There is a need for free competition, freedom of speech and assembly, and equal rights are provided to all the candidates for the participation in presidential elections".
People will lose their belief in the political parties, in case the elections fail. "We do not want to lose hopes of the public," Shovkat said.
Azadlig unites three opposition parties- PFPA, Liberal and Citizen and Development parties.
Shovkat had been State Secretary of Azerbaijan from July 1993 till spring 1994. In 1995, the Azerbaijani opposition Liberal party was founded.