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PROGRAM MEMORANDUM OF DEMOCRATIC REFORMS PARTY ADOPTED

Politics Materials 9 July 2005 15:41 (UTC +04:00)
PROGRAM MEMORANDUM OF DEMOCRATIC REFORMS PARTY ADOPTED

On July 4 Democratic Reforms Party held its first organizational congress. At the congress the Program memorandum - the document reflecting the basic goals and objectives, the Party puts forward before forthcoming Parliamentary elections was accepted. We would like to acquaint probably more compatriots with this document.

We are sure that we will find at your person many people that are ready to share our objectives.

Program Memorandum

Democratic Reforms Party

Freedom, Responsibility, Tolerance, Social equality, and Equal opportunities вЂ" these are the basic values of Liberalism and we take these values as a basis for our Party program.

Democratic Reforms Party of Azerbaijan is an association of freethinking people, standing for accelerated reforms with the aim to establish a democratic Government and integrate the country into Euro-Atlantic structures.

Our liberal values

Freedom, Responsibility, Tolerance, Social equality, and Equal opportunities вЂ" these are the basic values of Liberalism and we take these values as a basis for our party program. Bringing these principles into life creates a basis for strong civil society, democratic government, free market and international cooperation.

We do believe that the conditions of individual freedom include the Rule of Law, equal access to full and high-quality education, freedom of speech, assembly and access to the information, equal rights for men and women, tolerance, support to the private entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.

We consider civil society and constitutional democracy as the most fair and sustainable basis for political system. We want to establish a civil society composed of free citizens, living in the frame of law that guarantees their rights and the government authority of which is limited by and subordinated to democratic rules.

We are sure that only liberal market economy is able to provide dynamic accumulation and fair distribution of social welfare.

Democratic Reforms Party is a representative of political interests of middle class, entrepreneurs, owners, intellectuals, people that earn their living by their own skills and knowledge, and who at the same time are creators.

Main core of party members are young people with Western education, who are ready today to become modern day managers and lead the country. At the same time these are experienced professionals, succeeded in different spheres that realize the necessity of deep reforms in the country in order to change the outdated administrative system that does not meet the demands of a modern world.

The supremacy of individual freedoms and rights over the rights of the government is a basic program item of the party. The sanctity of private property, supporting entrepreneurship, establishment of the rule of law and fair equal responsibility for the law are the basis for his principle.

Only a free person is able to create. Only through respecting individual freedoms a country can become prosperous; human potential is much more important than natural resources and energy wealth. Cultural and spiritual progress is also impossible without freedom. Only through free exchange and competition of ideas a freethinking man that is able to develop science and arts can appear.

All country regions and most of the ethnic and religious groups living in the country and comprising its wealth, cultural diversity and reflecting historical traditions of ethnic and religious tolerance are represented in the party.

Tolerance to the opinions of others, ability to carry on political struggle within the frameworks of law and political culture are the main principles of our election block that is based on the European parliamentary traditions.

Our goal is to win the elections. Our main rival is the ruling party that we will fight with for the seats in the parliament.

Liberal policy is social by its nature. Protecting the principle of society based on law, it protect the rights of weak from the abuse of those who are stronger. It stands for market economy that provides equal opportunities for everyone. It stands for limitation of government’s role to prevent abuse, when in the process of fighting for distribution of welfare a government protects the interest of those with the power.

Resisting the excessive governmental influence and monopoly, including the employment market, it creates the preconditions for opening new work places.

Sharing these global liberal values we believe that their further promotion in Azerbaijan is possible only through development of country’s own liberal experience.

Our goals and objectives

Positive way of thinking is the main driving force in politics. It should not be all about mere criticism. We say ENOUGH to the current situation but at the same time we propose concrete solutions on how to end it. We have a reform package on legislative, political, economic changes, as well as on a social protection of the most vulnerable groups in the society.

One of the main goals of our party is restoration of country’s territorial integrity and elimination of consequences caused by occupation of Azerbaijan’s

territory. Party considers peaceful resolution of the conflict in the frame of international organizations on the basis of international law and European principles of national minorities’ rights. Human life is irreplaceable and for that it is necessary to use negotiations and intermediary efforts of international organizations up to the last chance. But even with these all we should not exclude the use of force against the aggressor. That is why we think that creation of modern effective army is one of the most important tasks for the government of Azerbaijan.

Our main priorities in the field of economy are:

- inviolability of private property;

- deep reconsideration of the role of the government in the economy, and as a result instead of current total presence of this, basically inhibitory “watchman”, will be established the institute able to compensate the market failures;

- effective policy of social protection;

- accelerated reform of natural monopolies;

- instead of support of imaginary financial stability, stimulation of the formation of competitive domestic enterprises is main goal of money and credit policy of the government.

Development of a new tax and customs policy, the use of economic stimulation methods and protection of local business and changing the balance in the economy from one-way domination of the energy sector to a diversification are the main objectives of our economic program.

Implementation of emergency reforms in education, health and environment protection systems can serve as a guarantee of future development and competitive capacity of Azerbaijan in the new global realities.

In the foreign policy and as a part of country’s strategic development we see Azerbaijan’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures. Membership in the NATO and the EU will only become possible after implementation of reforms and meeting all the necessary criteria for entry.

Party puts forward the following goals in the field of policy, economy, social development and international relations:

• Formation of the basis for market economy, growing understanding that free economy is the best basis for effective accumulation and fair distribution of national welfare;

• Gradual integration of Azerbaijan into European and world economic and political structures;

• Growing respect of human rights, elimination of totalitarian system for political, national and religious discrimination;

• Development of political system, based on division of powers and multi-party;

• Free alternative election for all levels: presidential, parliamentary and local;

• Development of pluralism and tolerance, growing respect to free choice of the person in policy, economy, culture and daily life;

• Freedom of information and communication, development of modern informational infrastructure, formation of independent press, formation of public opinion as an institute of democratic control;

• Struggle against monopolies and creation of conditions for fair competition;

• Creation of free, open civil society by political and economic freedoms;

• Protection of owners and entrepreneurs, holiness and inviolability of the private property, stimulating of the initiatives;

• Protection of environment from relentless exploitation and pollution.

Opinions, comments and suggestions are expected:

Address: Neftchilar prospect, 65/5
Tel: 437-15-76; 437-15-77
Fax: 492-61-10
E-mail: [email protected]

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