Azerbaijan, Baku, 15 July/ Trend , corr E.Babayev/ The Council of Europe called on the Azerbaijani opposition to take part in the presidential elections.
"There are certain rules of political games all over the world and every political power must take part in the voting," Gianni Buquicchio, Secretary of the Venice Commission said to media in Baku on 15 July.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held on 15 October 2008. The chairman of the Musavat party Isa Gambar, chairman of Azerbaijan Democratic Party Sardar Jalaloglu, chairman of the Green Party Mais Gulaliyev and chairman of the public forum For Azerbaijan Eldar Namazov have decided to participate in the presidential elections. The political expert Eldar Namazov stated that he would run for presidency independently. Governing New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) is going nominate country's current President Ilham Aliyev. The Azadlig bloc, which unites three opposition parties -Popular Front party, Citizen and Development party and Liberal party, will boycott the presidential elections.
According to Buquicchio, by taking part in the elections, the Opposition should demonstrate the public that it is active. "The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be a good test. Azerbaijan can show the world that it is able to conduct democratic elections," added Secretary of the Venice Commission. "Though the Election Code is not ideal, it is enough to conduct democratic elections," he said.
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