Azerbaijan, Baku, March 5 / Trend , J.Babayeva/
The Social-Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (SDPA) said the opposition referendum initiative groups are sluggish.
"The opposition's campaign against the referendum has no telling arguments. It is impossible to vote down the referendum. Those trying to do so want to create a storm in a teacup," SDPA Chairman Araz Alizade told Trend on March 5.
Azerbaijani referendum groups launched campaigning on Feb. 18. The campaign will end by 00:00 on March 16.
The free airtime is allotted on the Public Television station at 18:15-19:45 on Saturdays and at 20:15-21:34 on Wednesdays.
Azerbaijan will hold a referendum on March 18 to amend 29 articles of the Constitution.
The New Azerbaijan, City, Progress, Law and Democracy, Civil Society, For Sustainable Development and Zaka initiative groups are campaigning for the referendum. The opposition Movement for Karabakh and Republic and Republicans groups are campaigning against the referendum.
Alizadeh said the fact that the opposition calls the referendum anti-democratic proves that they have no idea what democracy is.
"A referendum is the best feature of democracy. I see no anti-democratic amendments in the referendum. On the contrary, these are right steps towards democracy," he said.
SDPA is a left-wing opposition party.
Araz Alizade and former Azerbaijani President Ayaz Mutallibov co-founded the party.
Mutallibov was elected Azerbaijan's first president shortly after the country gained independence in 1992. Later a lawsuit was filed against him. He has lived in Russia since 1992.
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