IPA CIS Observers Started Long-Term Monitoring of Snap Elections to Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan Republic

The IPA CIS observers led by Acting Director of the IIMDD IPA CIS Ekaterina Goloulina began to monitor the progress of the snap elections to the Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan Republic. The IIMDD IPA CIS Baku Office staff members as international observers participate in events held at the stage of long-term monitoring. Deputy Secretary General of the IPA CIS Council – Plenipotentiary Representative of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic Aidyn Jafarov coordinates the activities of the IPA CIS representatives.

On 14 January 2020, the IPA CIS observers held a meeting with Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Azerbaijan Republic Mazahir Panakhov and Chief of Staff of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic Safa Mirzoyev in Baku. On the same day, the observers held a discussion on the action plan for the long-term monitoring in the regions of the Azerbaijan Republic, elaborated by the IIMDD IPA CIS Baku Office.

During the meeting at the CEC, Mazahir Panakhov informed the IPA CIS observers on the activity of the CEC of the Azerbaijan Republic at the stage of the candidate registration and compilation of the voter lists, аs well as on the training of the members of election commissions and improving the legal culture of all the participants of the elections. The observers also got acquainted with the methodological materials and information leaflets prepared by the CEC of the Azerbaijan Republic.

The IPA CIS observers, in turn, inquired about the features of the preparation of the forthcoming elections given their “ad hoc” nature, as well as about the amendments made to the Election Code of the Azerbaijan Republic after 2016 and the election campaign, which will begin on 17 January 2020. The participants of the meeting exchanged their views on the growing use of the internet by political parties, independent candidates and the media for campaigning.

The observers also received information about the plans of parliamentary parties to participate in special elections during the meeting with the Chief of Staff of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic. The IPA CIS observers also agreed to meet with leaders of the campaign headquarters at the stage of short-term monitoring.

In the end of the day, a working meeting took place at the IIMDD IPA CIS Baku Office and approved the work plan for the Office experts and staff members at the stage of the long-term monitoring in the cities of Baku, Ganja, Mingechevir, Samukh, Shamkir, Lankaran, Astara, Lerik, Masally, Sumgayit, as well as in the Absheron region and a number of settlements.