Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 5 / Trend , J.Babayeva/ The Azerbaijani opposition Muasir Musavat Party will hold agitation on issues of referendum in the country.
"An initiative group of the party will submit 40,000 signatures to the commission to pass registration next week. Regional organizations have been commissioned to hold agitation on issues of referendum. Agitation will be held even in highland villages," Hafiz Hajiyev, the chairman of Muasir Musavat Party, told Trend on Jan. 5.
In late December, Azerbaijan's parliament passed a decision to hold a referendum March 18 to amend the Constitution. On that date, the parliament will vote on removing Paragraph 5 of Article 101, which prohibits an individual from being elected president more than twice. The parliament will also vote on adding a paragraph that will allow the presidential elections to be postponed in the event of war. Other possible amendments relate to Article 108, which specifies the rights and status of former presidents and renames the National Bank of Azerbaijan as the Central Bank and the Executive Office of the President as the Presidential Administration.
According to Article 152, the Constitution can only be amended via referendum. Additionally, Article 153 states that if the parliament or president proposes an amendment, the Constitutional Court must reach its own conclusions regarding the proposal before the referendum vote.
The Constitution was adopted in 1995. Amendments and additions were made in 2002.
Azerbaijan's governing New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) has established the New Azerbaijan initiative group.
The organization held negotiations with chairmen of several parties to support agitation campaign, Hajiyev said. "However, chairmen of these parties sought to appropriate fruits of our work. Discussions revealed that these parties do not have regional organizations. We have decided not to draw other parties in a political campaign, which we are holding successfully," Hajiyev said.
The party will rely on existing resources and 63 regional organizations during the campaign. "We have enough forces to successfully hold the campaign," Hajiyev said.
Hajiyev was the head of Azerbalig State Concern from 1992 to 1993. Earlier he was a member of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party and Musavat party. Hajiyev established Muasir Musavat party in 2000 and the party was officially registered in 2002.
Muasir Musavat considers itself as a constructive opposition against the authorities.
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