Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 3/ Trend A. Huseynbala/
An initiative group established to restore proportional system of elections in Azerbaijan suspended a campaign on signatures collection.
"Up to now members of our party presented in an initiative group collected about 40,000 signatures. We decided to suspend a campaign on signatures collection because of referendum," Vahid Nazarov, member of initiative group, deputy chairman of the Azerbaijani Liberal-Democratic Party, told Trend on Feb. 3.
By 2002 Azerbaijani Parliamentary elections were held on mixed system - majority and proportional. Proportional election system was liquidated upon referendum held in 2002. The country fully passed to majority system.
Oppositional Liberal-Democratic Party established an initiative group to restore proportional election system in November 2008. Roughly 55 members of the initiative group were chosen. On behalf of Liberal-Democratic Party the group offers all Azerbaijani parties to join campaign on signatures collection to restore proportional election system. If the initiative is supported, 600,000 signatures of voters will be submitted to the Central Election Commission. After the Commission adopts these signatures, they will be delivered to the Milli Majlis to restore proportional election system.
After referendum scheduled on Mar. 18, the Liberal-Democratic Party and other opposition parties joined the initiative will resume campaign on signatures collection. "We positively consider referendum on additions and supplements to the Constitution. But we think referendum on restoration of proportional election system must be held," deputy chairman of the Liberal-Democratic Party said.
Referendum to restore proportional election system can be held during municipal elections scheduled on fall 2009, he said.
The Liberal-Democratic Party was established in 1999. After death of chairman of the party Zakir Mammadov in 2000, the party was divided into two parts in 2001. Valeh Ibadov and Fuad Aliyev pretended to the Liberal-Democratic Party. In 2004 upon the Supreme Court's decision, the party headed by Fuad Aliyev was recognized as the Liberal-Democratic Party and was registered.
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