Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 19 / Trend , J.Babayeva/
The Azerbaijani Central Elections Commission (CEC) publicized a list of media which will hold free pre-referendum agitation on Jan. 19.
Agitation groups which have more than 40,000 members will get opportunity to use free air time at the Public Television and free article place at Azerbaijan, Respublika, Bakinskiy rabochiy and Khalg gazeti newspapers, the CEC reported on Jan .19.
The abovementioned media should submit notifications to the CEC, when they decide to grant paid air time or article place for pre-referendum agitation campaign. This media should publish data on conditions and amount of payment within 35 days after publishing a decision on appointment of referendum, The CEC reported.
Pre-referendum agitation begins 28 days before the election day and ends 24 hours before the election day. It is banned to agitate on the election day and beginning from 8:00 one day before the election.
In late December, Azerbaijan's parliament passed a decision to hold a referendum March 18 to amend the Constitution. It was decided to hold a referendum to amend 29 articles in the Constitution.
Azerbaijan's governing party has launched the New Azerbaijan initiative group. The opposition Musavat party has established the Republicans initiative group.
The Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, National Unity Movement, Citizen and Development Party, For Azerbaijan public association, Democratic Party, Umid party and several NGOs have established the Civil Movement for the Republic and Garabag initiative group.
The Union for Democracy, uniting the Azerbaijan Classic Popular Front Party, Azadlig party, the National Democratic Party, the Great Azerbaijan Party established the People's Republic of Azerbaijan initiative group.
Earlier, NAP Deputy Executive Secretary Mubariz Gurbanli told Trend that the opposition initiative groups would be ineffective.
The Constitution was adopted in 1995. Amendments and additions were made in 2002.
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