“The key objective of the PACE monitoring mission’s visit to Baku is to analyze the post-election situation in Azerbaijan, as well as the order of consideration appeals by candidates to MP,” Leo Platvoed, a Dutch MP, the head of the PACE monitoring mission, said at Heydar Aliyev Airport in Baku.
“At any case, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has already voiced its position on the issue. In particular, some high ranking officials were punished for violation of the Elections Code of Azerbaijan,” Platvoed said.
In his turn Andreas Gross, a PACE co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan, Andreas Gross, said that they plan to hold talks with the heads of the political parties, including leaders of the opposition blocs Azadlyg and New Policy YeS, the chairman of the Central Elections Commission of Azerbaijan, Mazahir Panahov, the chairman of the Constitution Court, Farhad Abdullayev, and the head-of-staff of the President’s Executive Power, Ramiz Mehdiyev.
“During the meetings at the Azerbaijani President’s Apparat we will raise an issue on use of force in respect to participants of the last opposition rally,” Gross said, appraising the punishment of people for violation of the Elections Code as a positive step. The final resolution of the monitoring mission will be publicized only after the completion of the visit.
The mission, which also includes a co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan, Andreas Herkel, will develop report further to discuss at a meeting of the PACE Monitoring Committee in Paris on 15 December.