Azerbaijan, Baku, 28 April / corr. Trend S. Ilhamgizi/ Yan Kubish, the chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and foreign minister of Slovakia met with the leaders of Azerbaijani opposition parties within his official visit to Baku on 28 April. According to Trend , Eldar Namazov, the head of For Azerbaijan public forum, Avaz Temirhan, the acting chairman of Liberal Party of Azerbaijan, Igbal Agazade, the chairman of Umid (Hope) Party, Asim Mollazade, the chairman of the Democratic Reform Party of Azerbaijan, Ali Karimli, the chairman of Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan and Arif Hajili, the activist of Musavat (Equality) Party attended the meeting.
According to Karimli, the opposition leaders said during the meeting that the country has not been close to European standards during the last 8 years since its entrance to the Council of Europe. "We were informed that Azerbaijan has turned into a non- independent country during this period as the freedom of assembly was banned, the political parties have been deprived of their premises, there is no any political activity in the regions and the problem of political prisoners has not been solved yet. There can be no free elections under such conditions," Karimli said.
According to Karimli, the opposition members stressed that Azerbaijani authorities do not fulfill the recommendations of the Council of Europe and it undermines the confidence in Azerbaijan.
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