“A number of problems exist in the regions of Azerbaijan in respect to elections lists, agitation work, issue of voter cards, illegal interference of officials of the local executive powers to the elections processes,” Elmira Suleymanova, the Azerbaijan Ombudsman stated to a seminar on �Media and Elections’, organized by the Ombudsman’s Office on Monday.
According to Suleymanova, she faced with such manifestations during her tours of the regions. The facts evolve serious obstacles for the democratic and free elections on the eve of on the day of elections 20 employees of the Ombudsman’s Office will observe the elections in different polling stations, she announced.
The Ombudsman emphasized the role media in the electioneering of the candidates, observation of constitution rights, right covering of their platforms, and clarification of the elections culture.
Aflatun Amashov, the chairman of the Press Council, and Nushiravan Maherramli, the chairman of the National Radio and Broadcasting Council also attended in the workshop.
According to Amashov, the Board they chaired regularly holds monitoring of the media, during which the materials fully contradicting the law on media are revealed. Sometimes, even it is difficult duffer between the editions and advertisement materials, he noted. The Council wants to take serious steps in regard to such media units, but after the elections, he underscored.
Besides, the gaps in the legislation evolve serious problems in covering of the pre-elections situation in Azerbaijan, stressed Maharramli, noting the problem in allocation of payable air time to candidates.