Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug. 19 / Trend T.Hajiyev /
The Azerbaijani political parties have defined the strategy of the election campaign.
Ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Deputy Chairman, Executive Secretary, Ali Ahmedov, said in an interview with Trend that each election is largely differs from the others.
"The 2010 parliamentary elections will differ from the 2005 elections. As, Azerbaijan of 2010 differs from Azerbaijan of 2005. Today, Azerbaijan is more developed. The country's economy has been intensified, the living standard of people and general thinking of people have changed a lot over these five years. All this will be reflected in the NAP concept related to the upcoming elections. This will solve the question of which innovations we will use," Ahmedov said.
"As always, the NAP's election technology in the upcoming parliamentary elections would be completely consistent with the requirements of the election period and will help us in securing another victory," he added.
The opposition Musavat party also announced about the use of modern pre-election campaign technology.
"We intend to use modern pre-election campaign technology in the elections. We will communicate directly with voters, because the ability to use television time is too limited. Under these circumstances, we will widely use election technologies, such as meetings with voters, 'door to door' campaign and etc.. In addition, we will try to communicate with voters through the Internet," Musavat Party Central Executive Office Head Arif Hajili told Trend.
Hajili said that they would like to speak on television through paid air time also, but it would depend on whether the necessary funds collected or not.
"If we able to collect the funds, then we will use opportunities of the paid air time," Hajili added.
Regarding the financial source of propaganda in the pre-election campaign, Hajili said usually the funds are collected from the members and the party's sympathizer electorate. "We will hold pre-election campaign through the financial assistance made by them," he said.
Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Deputy Chairman for Political Affairs Fuad Gahramanli told Trend that the party formed the central election headquarter and the groups under it to organize and promote the formation of directions in the parliamentary elections.
"The party is engaged in preparing a pre-election platform, definition of the slogans and the names of the bloc, and etc. PFPA will use various forms of propaganda in the pre-election period. The party plans holding of mass rallies, making speeches in the media, as well as preparation of advertisements, distributing leaflets, putting up posters and widespread use of such means," Gahramanli said.
The party would like to take advantage of opportunities of television in the period of propaganda, Gahramanli said.
"The television channels set very high prices for advertising political speeches on the eve of the election. Thus, it will depend on pre-election budget of the party. We will try to take advantage of television opportunities within the budget," Gahramanli said.
He said the party's pre-election budget will be formed through voluntary donations of members and the party's sympathizer electorate.
"PFPA will open an account for the party's budget in one of the country's banks and appeal to the public to transfer funds to this account to support the party's pre-election campaign," Gahramanli added.
Azerbaijani Democratic Party Chairman Sardar Jalaloglu told Trend that his party would use the "from house to house" tactic in the election campaign.
"We have not carried out extensive activities in the past elections. We have received great support during the meetings held in homes and apartments of voters. We will give preference to this method this year due to the fact that the tactic is most expedient in terms of getting votes," Jalaloglu said.
He said the party developed a program reflecting ideas and proposals to address some concerns of the people.
"This will be used as propaganda in the elections. The party will also use other means of propaganda. The party will stick posters, send messages, inform voters about candidates and use other methods. All of this will be applied, if we independently take part in the election. But there is a chance that we will participate in the elections within a bloc with other parties. In this case we will hold street demonstrations and mass events. The prices on the paid air time are so much increased in the television channels that they contradict the importance of its using. It becomes meaningless to pay money for it. Therefore, we have no plans to use television time," Sardaroglu said.
Azerbaijani opposition Classical Popular Front Party (CPFP) electoral headquarters head Adalat Yusifov said the party will use all methods - beginning from the individual approach, mass events, press and promotional material to television opportunities during the pre-election campaign.
"The party members have been taking part in various elections since 1993. We have detailed information about the election. We will use different methods to improve the tactics of the past elections," Yusifov said.
Yusifov said the party will gather the funds needed for the propaganda through the help of friends.
Pro-governmental Ana Veten Party Chairman Fazail Agmali told Trend that the party takes part in the electoral process not for the first time. The party's organization and management have enough experience, he said.
"Based on this experience and given the certain innovations, the party may use new elements and innovations in the process of promoting. From this perspective, we are not in a state of psychological pressure," Agamali said.
He said the party's campaign will be financed through its own abilities.
"We will participate in the upcoming elections relying on our own capabilities. I think that we do not need large-scale financial investment for this," Agamali said.
Azerbaijani National Independence Party Chairman (ANIP) Yusif Bagirzade said that the party has built its activities under the Electoral Code.
"We will build our propaganda under the Electoral Code. This is a meeting with voters, and putting up posters, arranging meetings and the party leadership's visits to the regions, as well as developing a document to identify solutions to some concerns of the people. Our goal is to study the political, economic and international position of Azerbaijan and seek ways outs of the existing problems," Bagirzade said.
Regarding the financial source, Bagirzade said that the party members will assist it.
"Today, the number of the party members is 35,000 people. We will use the capabilities of these members. Our party is known and perceived. The party has its electorate and voters. In fact, this party has been taking part in the presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections since 1993. The party will use its previous experience," Bagirzade said.
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