Azerbaijan, Baku, 9 June / Trend corr. E.Babayev / The draft on amendments and supplements into the Election Code of Azerbaijan, and approved by the Parliament, has provoked certain change into the plans of ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) regarding the upcoming presidential elections. "The city and regional organizations of the party should hold dynamic election campaign after the amendments into the Code," Ali Ahmadov, Executive Secretary and Deputy Chairman of the party, stated in the common republic meeting of city and regional organizations of NAP in the Executive Power of Sabail District in Baku.
The draft on amendments and supplements into the Election Code was passed by the Parliament on 30 May. According to the draft, the presidential candidates are prohibited to conduct election campaign in state-owned TV channels with the term of the election campaign being shortened from four months up to 75 days. Furthermore, the number of signatures required for the registration of the presidential candidates has been decreased from 45,000 to 40,000, and the cancellation of candidate's registration has been eased as a result of the changes into the Code of Administrative Violations.
The presidential elections in Azerbaijan will be held in October 2008.
The Azadlig bloc, that unites three opposition parties - Popular Front, Citizen and Development and Liberal, has stated that the bloc would boycott the upcoming presidential elections. Isa Gambar- leader of Musavat party, Sardar Jalaloglu-chairman of Democratic party and Mais Gulmammadov- Chairman of Green party of Azerbaijan, have already nominated their candidature to the presidential post. On 5 May, Eldar Namazov, Head of the Public forum 'For Azerbaijan, stated that he would also nominated his candidature to the presidential post. The candidature of Ilham Aliyev will be nominated from the ruling New Azerbaijan party.
According to NAP Chairman, the preparatory work to election campaigns of candidates has already been started. "The main issue is the personality of nominated candidates to the presidential post. The party will nominate and support the candidature of the incumbent President Ilham Aliyev, who has a strong polarity amongst the population. The candidature of Ilham Aliyev will provide success to the party. The results of the social poll held by local and foreign specialists revealed that Ilham Aliyev has the highest rating amongst the population. Azerbaijan interests many countries due to its economic development rate, Ahmadov said.
The party board has submitted a special conception and task group in the meeting. Under this conception, all the resources of the party will be used to reach fair, democratic, transparent and legal elections.
It is expected that the conference and meeting in city and regional organizations of the party will be held on the threshold of presidential elections.
NAP was founded in Nakhchivan in 1992. The all-nation leader, the late ex-President Heydar Aliyev was the Party's first Chairman. President Ilham Aliyev is the current chairman of the Party, which has been in power for 14 years.
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