Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9
By Ali Mustafayev - Trend:
The main goal of the OSCE observation group in Azerbaijan is an objective assessment of the presidential election, but not interference in the election, Corien Jonker, the head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) election observation mission, said at a press conference in Baku on March 9.
She noted that the observers will assess the electoral process starting with the opening of polling stations until announcement of results.
"The main group of observers will consist of 10 experts, but in addition to them, auxiliary observer groups will also be present during the election. Particularly, starting from March 15, 20 long-term observers of the ODIHR will work in the regions of Azerbaijan. In addition, 280 short-term observers will operate in Baku on the election day. Experts and observers from 19 countries will arrive in the country," said Yorker.
Jonker said that a group will remain in the country to monitor the relevant processes during the days after the elections.
She further noted that ODIHR observers to monitor the election processes in the regions of Azerbaijan will be divided into 10 groups, which will include two observers each.
"We have witnessed fruitful cooperation with the Azerbaijani government, and I hope that this cooperation will continue in the future," said Jonker.
Presidential election in Azerbaijan is to be held on April 11, 2018, according to an order signed Feb. 5 by the country's President Ilham Aliyev.
According to the Calendar Plan of Azerbaijan’s Central Election Commission (CEC), pre-election campaigning starts 23 days prior to the voting day and is stopped 24 hours before the start of voting. Thus, the campaigning will start on March 19 and end at 08:00 (local time) on April 10.