AZERBAIJAN: Preparations ahead of Azerbaijan parliamentary elections, seen as a test of democracy in the ex-soviet state

Record ID: 218507

  • Title: AZERBAIJAN: Preparations ahead of Azerbaijan parliamentary elections, seen as a test of democracy in the ex-soviet state
  • Date: 5th November 2005
  • Summary: (BN09) BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (NOVEMBER 5, 2005) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OIL DERRICKS, PUMPS AND DRILL; OIL DERRICK / CITY OF BAKU IN THE BACKGROUND (4 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 20th November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Azerbaijan
  • Country: Azerbaijan
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACCUVQOK1UT66XM3PVRPVM3EAM
  • Story Text: Officials began installing polling booths in Baku on Saturday (November 5, 2005) as Azerbaijan prepares for its parliamentary elections on November 6.
    A total of 1,557 people have been registered to run as candidates for the 125 seats in the Azerbaijani parliament in a poll that will be monitored by foreign observers from 45 countries.
    Two of Azerbaijan's leading opposition parties said on Friday (November 4) police had arrested their campaign managers less than 48 hours before the election.
    A spokesman for the National Front party said campaign boss Qabil Mamedzayev had been detained. Its partner in the main opposition bloc, the Democratic Party, said earlier its own campaign manager had been arrested.
    Azerbaijan, an oil-producing region in the turbulent south Caucasus region, has yet to hold an election judged free and fair by international observers. Sunday's vote is under close scrutiny for signs of official interference.
    Polls predict the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party will comfortably regain its massive majority in parliament. But Western officials say they are more concerned about how the vote is conducted.
    Western officials had said they were hopeful Sunday's vote would be an improvement after President Ilham Aliyev ordered a last-minute package of anti-fraud measures including applying ink to voters' fingers to stop people voting twice.
    But Western diplomats say some senior officials, many of them in the powerful police and security forces, do not share Aliyev's desire for democratic reform and may try to interfere with the election.
    Leila Aliyeva, an independent analyst at the centre of national and international studies in Azerbaijan, warns of post election violence.
    "Unfortunately the pre-election period proved that there is no will from the side of the government to conduct fair elections. First of all because they did not take into account the comments by the Venice Commission on a very crucial issue, the change of the electoral commission. That means that there is an intention to apply the same methods and to control the elections. That will definitely cause protest," said Aliyeva.
    The National Front, with four seats, is the only opposition party represented in Azerbaijan's parliament. It is seen as the most moderate of the main opposition parties.
    The Democratic Party is headed by Rasul Guliyev, who is accused by authorities of plotting to overthrow the government on the eve of the election.
    Two ministers and several government officials have been arrested on charges of conspiring with Guliyev, who has lived in the United States since fleeing Azerbaijan 10 years ago.
    Western diplomats say they believe President Ilham Aliyev genuinely wants Sunday's election to be an improvement on past votes, which were judged unfair by international observers.
    Aliyev succeeded his father as president in an election marred by allegations of fraud two years ago.
    Keen to get a stake in the expected oil boom without making concessions on human rights, western governments have been urging Aliyev to play fair and the OSCE (Organisation for the Security and cooperation in Europe) has sent more than 600 observers to monitor the election.
    The rising revenues from the Caspian oilfields has also increased tensions within the government, making the upcoming elections more crucial.
    "The peak of the oil income will be in 2010, so on the eve of this huge income inflow, of course emotions are very, very high and there is a commitment both on the side of the opposition and on the side of the government to win the election. So, this creates a lot of tension as compared to the previous elections," said Leila Aliyeva.
    Over four million voters in 125 electoral districts are registered to cast their ballots on Sunday.
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