Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 27/ Trend , J. Babayeva/ The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan will receive additional instructions on referendum to be held regarding supplements and changes to the Constitution.
"The Central Election Commission will fulfill its obligations and create regulative framework. The instructions adopted by the Commission regulate referendum related issues. However, there is a need for some additional instructions," CEC secretary Natig Mammadov said to Trend .
On Dec. 24, the Azerbaijani parliament decided to hold referendum on supplements and changes to the Constitution on March 18.
The Parliament removed Paragraph 5 from Article 101 of the Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, which prohibited a person from being elected President repeatedly more than two times.
Instead, the Parliament included a Paragraph stipulating for postponement of presidential elections in case of the country wages military operations.
The governing New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) suggested a
referendum to eliminate the restriction prohibiting a person from being elected
president more than two times. Several political parties represented at the
Parliament, social organizations and intellectuals supported the proposal.
The term of office of the president is five years. Azerbaijani Constitution was
adopted in 1995 and amended and supplemented in 2002.
Other changes to the constitution are related to Article 108 specifying the
rights and status of former presidents; renaming the National Bank of Azerbaijan into the Central Bank, the Executive Office of the President in Presidential
Administration.
Changes in the text of the Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic may be made
only by way of referendum (Article 152).
If proposals about changes in the text of Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic are presented by Milli Majlis (Parliament) or the President of the Azerbaijan Republic, then Constitutional Court of the Azerbaijan Republic should give its
conclusion beforehand (Article 153).
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Azerbaijani Constitution was adopted in 1995. Supplements and changes were to the Constitution made in 2002. Mammadov said the campaign will start 28 days before referendum takes place. "Referendum Initiative groups and propaganda groups will act as struggling parties. The citizens can set up groups to support and to oppose any of the changes," CEC secretary said. Though voters have already been informed about referendum, CEC intends to take measures to disseminate the referendum act among citizens. "Dissemination of the act among voters will be priority. The voters will be able get referendum act from the constituencies a month before the election. Mass media is also expected to help CEC in this regard," Mammadov said. Local and international observers, political parties, blocs and voters can monitor the referendum, he noted. Mammadov said the results of referendum will be announced and released 20-25 days after the vote. Have any feedback? Contact our journalist at: : [email protected] |