Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 August / Trend corr. E.Huseynli/ Several opposition group's refusal to participate in Azerbaijan's presidential elections results from lack of any ideas and views regarding political and economic development of the country and country's community, the head of the Political Analysis & Information at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Elnur Aslanov said to Trend , commenting on the recent decisions of country's opposition parties.
According to Aslanov, one must work nonstop during five years then to be able to participate in the elections.
"Once elections are over, a new elections process commences. Therefore, several people in the opposition camp should understand and realize elections require not only newspaper publications and pseudodemocratic rhetoric but also real and alternative proposals regarding state development strategy," he said.
According to Aslanov, the opposition spends all its time for political intrigues and squabbles over leadership in its camp. "These organizations do not want to see the ongoing transformations in the country and to become a part of the forming political culture. They oppose updating. So, the time works against them," he said.
In recent years the community and the political companions of those opposition parties have not been informed of their real views on their proposals to Azerbaijan, said Aslanov. "They do not have anything, neither ideas nor organizing plans, to go to the elections with. An opposition activist has recently noted "there is no gunpowder in powder-flasks any more". Even chairmen of opposition parties say they do not have another way but to boycott the elections. Obviously, they have come to a situation in which the elections lost will put a bold dot on their political career," said Aslanov.
According to Aslanov, the aforesaid persons have lost seven national elections since 1993 and this fact is associated amongst population with defeat. They just have no other way to prolong their political longevity.
Opposition parties excused their non-participation in the elections by undemocratic pre-elections conditions in the country. Aslanov said President Ilham Aliyev stated at the meeting of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) several days ago that that all conditions had been provided in the country to hold democratic, open and transparent elections.
"At the same time, the authorities have many times stated that the upcoming elections would prove that Azerbaijan is the regional leader in the economic and democratic aspect, as well as in the democratization sphere. There are all grounds and preconditions for that. Therefore, I appraise the statements of several 'democracy messengers' as weakness of several opposition groups, which agree they lack for public support and social basis," Aslanov stated.
On the other hand, these organizations, like in 1998, will again isolate themselves from the political process, said Aslanov. "But the distinction of the current situation is that not all members of opposition parties agree to boycott the elections and openly oppose the decision, understanding its lack of prospects. The rhetoric about 'undemocracy' results from opposition leaders' need to argue their decision, and the statements about 'undemocratic conditions' may be used as an argument, which they may use against their opponents within party. We understand the target of such a pseudodemocratic rhetoric, Aslanov said.