The referendum on introduction of amendments and additions to the Azerbaijani constitution will make the administration system more efficient, and as a consequence, will contribute to the socio-economic development of the country, the speaker of Milli Majlis, Ogtay Asadov, told Vestnik Kavkaza, commenting on the importance of today's voting for the future of the Azerbaijani people.
"This referendum will give a new impetus to the economic development of Azerbaijan, because the state system will have additional mechanisms for effective management. I think it will benefit our people," he stressed.
Ogtay Asadov also expressed confidence that the Russian-Azerbaijani relations will remain at the current high level after the referendum. "Results of the referendum will not change the nature of the Russian-Azerbaijani contacts. Today our relations are at a very high political and economic level. Russia is one of the biggest trading partners and the closest strategic partner of Azerbaijan," the Milli Majlis speaker pointed out.
The voting in referendum on making amendments to Azerbaijan’s constitution kicked off and will wrap up at 19:00 local time (18:00 MSK).
The draft Referendum Act envisages establishing first vice-president and vice-president positions in Azerbaijan, extending the president’s term of office from five years to seven years, given the authority to the president to dissolve the Milli Majlis and declare early presidential election, removing the age limit for presidential election, decreasing the age limit from 25 to 18 for participation in the parliamentary elections.
