CIS observer mission publishes interim report in connection with parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6

Trend:

The CIS observer mission has published an interim report in connection with the parliamentary elections to be held in Azerbaijan on February 9, Trend reports on Feb. 6 referring to the CIS observer mission.

The report published on the CIS Executive Committee’s website covers the period from January 19 through February 3.

“The Observer Mission from the Commonwealth of Independent States monitors the process of preparation and holding of the Azerbaijani early parliamentary elections upon the invitation of the Azerbaijani government,” the document said.

“On December 5, 2019, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree setting the early parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan on February 9, 2020,” the report said. “The mission commenced its activity on January 19, 2020. The mission operates freely and independently, guided by the legislation of the Azerbaijan Republic, documents adopted within the Commonwealth, and observing the principle of non-interference in the electoral process and respecting the sovereignty of the state.”

“The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan (CEC) accredited 252 observers from the CIS countries, 18 of them work on a long-term basis,” the document said.

“The mission includes the representatives of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS member-states, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus -Russia Union, and the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States,” the report said.

"The Observer Mission from the CIS discussed the pre-election campaign with the CEC, the Office of the Azerbaijani parliament, the Foreign Ministry, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, the General Prosecutor's Office, the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the report said. “The meetings were held with representatives of the pre-election headquarters of a number of political parties that nominated MP candidates.”

“The mission works openly and transparently,” the document said. “The mission’s headquarters issues informational messages. The observers from the CIS who came for a long period are open for communication with the media representatives.”

"The legal basis for holding elections consists of the Constitution, the Electoral Code of Azerbaijan, the norms of a number of other legislative acts, as well as decisions of the Central Commission adopted to develop the Code,” the document said.

“According to the CIS observers, the elections are organized and conducted by CEC, 125 district election commissions, and 5,573 precinct election,” the report said.

“The Central Commission consists of 18 members who are elected by the Azerbaijani parliament: six members represent a political party in which MPs have a majority in the parliament, six - political parties that make up a minority in the Azerbaijani parliament, and six represent independent MPs,” the document said. "The district election commissions consisting of nine members are formed by the Central Commission.”

“The precinct election commissions consisting of six members are formed by the district commissions,” the document said. “When appointing the members of district election commissions and precinct election commissions, the same principle of equal representation is used as during the formation of the CEC.”

“The registered candidates and political parties that have nominated the candidates may send one representative to the corresponding election commissions as a member of the commission with the right of deliberative vote,” the report said.

“The mission stressed that the Central Commission is consistently working on the organization of the election campaign. The Central Electoral Commission approved a calendar plan of key events for the preparation and holding of early parliamentary elections,” the report said. “Moreover, a number of resolutions detailing certain provisions of the electoral law have been adopted.”

“CEC pays great attention to the training of the election organizers,” the report said. “The Central Commission conducted trainings with the participation of representatives of Prosecutor’s Office, courts and policemen to increase the professional training of members of the district election commissions and precinct election commissions, improve their knowledge and skills in the field of holding the pre-electoral campaign.”

“Moreover, explanatory posters on the procedure for filling out the ballot paper, on the actions of voters on election day, on the rights of observers were prepared for placement in the polling stations,” the report said.

"The CEC also prepared a memo for MP candidates, which reflects the rules for nominating, collecting signatures, sending the documents for registration to the district election commissions, the rights and obligations of candidates,” the report said. “Furthermore, memos were issued for observers, police officers and media representatives. The expert groups have been formed under the CEC and district election commissions to consider complaints related to violation of citizens' suffrage.”

“The mission stresses the open and transparent work of the Central Commission, the collegial discussion of the issues under consideration, holding of meetings with the participation of international observers and media representatives,” the report said.

“As part of the monitoring of the pre-election campaign, long-term observers from the CIS reviewed the work of the district election commissions and precinct election commissions of Astara, Bilasuvar, Gabala, Geranboy, Goygol, Guba, Jalilabad, Yevlakh, Ismayilli, Kurdamir, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Oguz, Salyan, Ujar, Shamakhi, Sheki districts, and Baku, Ganja, Lankaran and Sheki cities,” the report said.

“When communicating with members of district election commissions and precinct election commissions, the mission representatives receive the necessary information and have the opportunity to review the election documents,” the document says.

“The mission stresses that the premises of the election commissions are provided with office equipment, backup power supplies, the necessary methodological books and visual aids on elections,” the report said.

“According to the representatives of the mission, CEC, precinct election commissions and district election commissions take the necessary measures to prepare and conduct elections in accordance with the requirements of the law,” the report said.

"A single voter list is compiled by the CEC and is updated annually on the basis of information provided by the precinct election commissions,” the report said.

“Since January 5, 2020, the lists have been posted on the premises of precinct election commissions for general review and are also available on the CEC website,” the document said. “Citizens can check the availability of information about themselves in the list, get information about the number of the polling stations and the location of the polling stations.”

“If the voter finds errors or inaccuracies about himself or other people in the list, the voter can inform the precinct election commission about this,” the report said. “On the election day, citizens who are residing in the territory of the polling station, but for some reasons are not included in the main voter list, may be included in the supplementary list upon the decision of the precinct election commission.”

“According to CEC, over 5.2 million voters are included in the lists for participation in the elections," the document says. "In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 125 MPs are elected for a term of five years on the basis of a majoritarian electoral system.”

“In accordance with the Electoral Code, the right to nominate candidates belongs to the political parties, blocs of political parties and citizens,” the report said. “At least 450 signatures of voters must be collected to support an MP candidate on the territory of the constituency in which the candidate is nominated.”