The Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, Ilyas Umakhanov, said that in terms of organizational bases of holding both referendums and elections everything has been at the highest level for decades in Azerbaijan.
“The people who represent different international organizations also acknowledge this,” he noted, adding that this is a universally recognized fact.
“Substantive questions submitted for the referendum predetermine the future, as well as the democratic development of Azerbaijan, strengthening the democratic foundations of the Azerbaijani society,” Umakhanov added. “It is very important that the people’s expressing will and desire to take part in the referendum is absolutely free.”
“The referendum means not only a support to the amendments to be made to the Constitution of Azerbaijan, but it is also a vote of confidence in the present leadership of the country,” he noted.
Umakhanov noted that the referendum is the highest form of expression of will.
“I am sure Azerbaijani people will vote for progress, dignity and independence of Azerbaijan in holding political, economic and democratic reforms,” Trend cited him as saying.
The senator told Vestnik Kavkaza that the referendum in Azerbaijan deserves every encouragement and support as a way to find out the attitude of the people to the proposed changes in the state, especially when it comes to the changes related to the constitutional rights of citizens'.
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.
