Azerbaijan, Baku, 21 August / Trend corr. E.Babayev / Sergey Kuznetsov, a representative of the Venice Commission, believes that examination of complaints during the elections assumes a great importance. "Plaintiff should be sure that his/her complaint will be examined with full objectivity," Kuznetsov stated at the training on Rules examination of applications and complaints held on 21 August.
According to Kuznetsov, the latest changes in the Elections Code were injected on the base of recommendation of the Venice Commission and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
The OSCE Baku Office urged the Government to implement fully its obligations during the presidential elections in Azerbaijan. "The elections should be held so that they covered all obligations undertaken, which should be carried out," Alexis Shahtatinsky, the deputy head of the OSCE Baku Office, stated at the training.
He stressed that the OSCE observation mission would follow the presidential elections. "The OSCE offered some recommendations after the parliamentary elections held in Azerbaijan in 2005. One of them was connected with examination of complaints and appeals about the elections," Shahtahtinsky said.
According to Shahtahtinsky, this issue was issued in the latest corrections, injected into the Elections Code of Azerbaijan. The diplomat called these changes positive steps and stated that the upcoming presidential elections would show how efficient the taken measures were.
According to Veronica Codec, the CE Secretary General's Special Envoy, the presidential elections to be held in Azerbaijan will show the capabilities of the country. "During the elections, additional steps may be taken, which will form democracy in Azerbaijan in large sense," Codec said.
She said that Azerbaijan sent invitations to the CE, as well as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to observe the elections process. The organization will send a delegation to Azerbaijan several days before the elections day. Codec stressed that the CE developed measures plan concerning the elections and began to carry out it jointly with the Azerbaijani Government.
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