Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 17/ Trend , J. Babayeva/ Azerbaijan's governing party's (NAP) New Azerbaijan initiative group accused chief of the opposition Musavat party Isa Gambar of lie and slander.
"Isa Gambar, who does not keep up with latest new in media and can not give up his habit, could not see and did not want to see NAP's efforts to launch initiative group. Otherwise, he would not resort to lie and slander as usual in an effort to call into question legality of NAP's launch of initiative group in his interview with media," a source in the NAP press service said to Trend .
NAP says its initiative group was launched on Dec. 31 in compliance with the regulations the Central Election Commission (CEC) passed on Dec. 30. "New Azerbaijan initiative group submitted necessary documents to the CEC on Jan 6 and received subscription lists on Jan. 8. Subscription lists signed by 47,000 voters were handed over to the CEC on Jan. 14," NAP said.
The NAP press service considered Isa Gambar's statements about its initiative group lie and slander and dismissed them. "We hope that Isa Gambar will apologize to hundreds of people who took part in meetings focused on launch of initiative groups, about 1,000 party activists involved in signature collecting campaign and 47,000 voters who supported NAP initiative group for hurting their pride," the NAP said.
Azerbaijan's governing partyhas launched New Azerbaijan and opposition Musavat party Republicans initiative groups. The Central Election Commission has issued notification about NAP initiative group's registration.
Moreover, Azadlig bloc which includes the Popular Front Party, the National Unity Movement, the Citizen and Development Party, the Musavat Party, the Umid Party and the Democrat Party, as well as the For Azerbaijan Public Forum and some non-government organizations decided to establish the Civil Movement for Republic and Garabag. The Union for Democracy, which includes Classic Popular Front, Azadlig bloc, National Democrat Party, Great Azerbaijan and People's Party has launched Azerbaijan People's Republic initiative group.
Deputy executive secretary of the governing party Mubariz Gurbanli said to Trend earlier that initiative groups established by opposition against referendum will not be efficient.
As many as 21 media leaders launched Free Speech Initiative Group on Jan. 10.
On the same day Azerbaijan Confederation of Trade Unions and some non-governmental organizations also established Initiative Group of Public Organizations.
In late December, Azerbaijan's parliament passed a decision to hold a referendum March 18 to amend 29 Articles of the Constitution. According to Article 152, the Constitution can only be amended via referendum. Additionally, Article 153 states that if the parliament or president proposes an amendment, the Constitutional Court must reach its own conclusions regarding the proposal before the referendum vote.
The Constitution was adopted in 1995. Amendments and additions were made in 2002.
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