Azerbaijan’s deputy prime minister, Deputy Chairman - Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Ali Ahmadov said that in accordance with the legislation the process of early parliamentary elections in the republic officially starts from today.
According to him, the ruling party is working on the preparation of a list of candidates. "There is still time," Ahmadov noted. "The work is underway on a list that will be made public in due time," Trend cited him as saying.
The deputy prime minister said that "famous people will be on the YAP candidate list." He added that it will include "both people from the previous composition of the parliament and new candidates."
Ahmadov stressed that the list of the YAP will include people that the citizens will believe in and who will actively work in the Azerbaijani parliament.
Professor of the Western Caspian University Fikret Sadykhov, speaking to the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the early parliamentary election is part of fundamental reforms in the state system started by President Ilham Aliyev this autumn. "These reforms could not but affect the legislative branch. The emphasis of the new election campaign has already been placed, the priorities are known: the parliament should be a synthesis of the young generation and experienced legislators," he said.
"This synthesis will be manifested, in particular, in more creative approaches to the adoption of new laws, in initiatives related to the modernization of socio-economic life and the domestic political sphere. I think it will serve the further development of Azerbaijan in various fields - from foreign policy to the economy - and will contribute to even greater development of our country," Fikret Sadikhov emphasized.
Deputy Director General of the Trend information agency Arzu Nagiyev also stressed the inevitability of early parliamentary elections amid reforms of the executive branch. "I would like to emphasize that the fact that the ruling party dissolved the parliament does not mean that this composition of the Milli Majlis did not fulfill the tasks assigned to it. All the tasks were completed, both the first vice president and several ministers and heads of state committees from this convocation were nominated. At the same time, new people and new opportunities are needed for reforms - that’s why it was decided to hold early elections," he explained.
"I primarily expect not just young people, but specialists in various fields coming to the legislative power after these elections. I think that in all areas of lawmaking emphasis will be placed on specialists, including in the Nagorno-Karabakh problem as a priority for our foreign and domestic policies. I also expect the parliament will give a new impulse to reforms," Arzu Nagiyev said.
Director of the Baku Network expert council Elkhan Aleskerov, in turn, said that the early parliamentary elections is an indication that Azerbaijani statehood is strong enough to update itself. "There is no fear that it may cause any destabilization. Early elections, as well as reforms of the executive branch, are a deliberate step. My personal expectations are that the executive, legislative, and supervisory authorities work as a whole in an open and transparent manner," he urged.
"I think that the parliament of the next convocation will initiate new ideas. The next stage in the development of Azerbaijani statehood has begun. I expect that the elections will be held in a peaceful atmosphere and worthy representatives of our people will enter the parliament. Many parties have already announced their candidates, preparations are underway for the elections. I’m sure the new Milli Majlis will adequately express the interests of Azerbaijan in all areas," Elkhan Aleskerov concluded.
On November 28, a proposal was put forward to dissolve the Azerbaijani Parliament at an urgent meeting of the Political Council of the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party. It was also proposed to hold the early parliamentary elections. On December 2, the parliament has adopted an appeal on the parliament’s dissolution. Speaker of the parliament Ogtay Asadov signed the draft appeal to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to hold the early parliamentary elections. On December 4, Azerbaijan’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the Parliament’s dissolution following the legislative body’s appeal to the president to dissolve it was in line with the country’s constitution. Next day, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order on the dissolution of the parliament and calling for early parliamentary elections for February 9, 2020.
