Azerbaijani opposition Umid Party considers that non-participation of most opposition parties in the presidential elections cannot cause negative response amongst international organizations.
“I dare say that international organizations will not state that the elections took place in non-alternative conditions,” Igbal Agazade, presidential contender from Umid party, told Trend News.
So far, 12 contenders have submitted their documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC) to participate in the presidential elections.
Parties consider that non-participation in the elections will cause an opinion that the process was held in non-alternative conditions.
Agazade said that international organizations hold consultations with Umid regarding the elections.

One more man has been nominated for Presidency. APA reports that Editor-in-Chief of Varlig newspaper, one of the founders of Varlig Organization, head of Center for Legal Economics and Social Researches Agaevli Ali Isa (Ali Haji) has today appealed to the Central Election Commission. Thus, the number of the persons, who put forward their candidacy for presidency, reached 15.
Ali Haji told APA that he did not represent any political organization.

The Azerbaijani opposition Musavat Party stated that the unity of the real opposition parties, which refused to participate in the presidential elections, would be established soon.
“Real opposition’s cooperation will take place by the elections and will continue after the elections. It will be in the form of coalition or another form, depending on the consultations to be held on the issue,” Isa Gambar, the chairman of the Musavat Party, said to Trend News on 15 August.
According to Gambar, different political forces sounded initiatives and claims to create cooperation of the forces, which refused to participate in the elections. Musavat party’s position has been sounded on this issue as well.

National NGO Forum (NNGOF) of Azerbaijan has developed a plan of arrangements regarding the upcoming presidential elections. “NNGOF will implement arrangements in order to hold democratic elections and to raise activity of electorate,” Rauf Zeyni, President of NNGOF, told Trend News.
Azerbaijan will host the presidential election on 15 October 2008. So far 12 candidates have nominated their documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC).
According to Zeyni, NNGOF will implement trainings regarding the upcoming presidential elections. Trainings will be held especially for persons who will observe the elections. “We will hold exit-poll. We will also render assistance to other NGOs as well in the capital and other regions,” Zeyni said.

The Azerbaijani authorities believe there some doubtful moments in financing of the country’s political parties.
“We and our society worry about the doubtful moments in the financing of political parties,” Ali Hasanov, the head of the Public & Political Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, said to journalists on 14 August.
There are 52 registered political parties in Azerbaijan.
According to Hasanov, taking into consideration the doubtful moments, political parties could be financed by the state to prevent the doubts.
“There is the practice in the world to finance political parties through the state budget. The idea has been suggested in Azerbaijan and is being discussed. Political parties can be financed by the Azerbaijani state,” Hasanov said.

The opposition Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA) believes wrong some parties’ will, which refused to participate in the presidential elections, to observe the elections.
“I consider wrong the decision by some opposition parties to observe the elections. DPA will not observe the elections and will not make any statement,” Sardar Jalaloglu, Chairman of DPA, told Trend News.
DPA will not participate in the elections,” Jalaloglu said.
Ali Orujov, activist of the opposition Azerbaijani National IndependeNT Party (ANIP) told Trend News that every party have different attitude to the elections. “Etibar Mammadov, Leader of ANIP did not nominate his own candidture and we failed to participate in the elections with our own candidate. However, ANIP may participate in the elections in some other form. The final decision regaring the elections will be made at the next meeting of the Political Council,” Orujov said.

Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan (CEC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Milli Majlis sent official invitations to a number of international organizations to observe the presidential elections on October 15, Rovzat Gasimov, head of CEC International Relations Department told APA.
He said OSCE, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Commonwealth of Independent States and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are among the invited organizations. Gasimov said the invitation would be sent to other international organizations, parliaments and election commissions of different countries in the next few days.

Central Election Commission (CEC) launches trainings to enlighten lower election commissions regarding the upcoming presidential elections. “In the end of August, the first stage of trainings, which will cover over 30,000 members of the lower election commissions, will b summarized,” Azar Sariyev, a spokesperson in CEC, told Trend News.
According to Sariyev, the trainings, which have been held since 2003, will be implemented within a new format: at the current trainings are held by trainers from district election commissions. The framework of projects, which have been implemented by CEC and Venice Commission of Council of Europe, unites 2 people from each district election commission. The trainers had been trained from 15 July to 19 July. Trainings covered 250 specialists.

Two more candidates were nominated for Presidency in Azerbaijan. Press Service of the Central Election Commission (CEC) told APA, adviser to “Medeniyyet” (Culture) newspaper Teymur Guliyev and Editor-in-Chief of “Ekspertiza” newspaper Suleyman Guliyev applied CEC for approval of their nomination. According to the law their applications will be responded within 5 days.
Besides these persons 12 candidates have been nominated for Presidency.

The Azerbaijani Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) have been determined, which will hold exit-poll in the presidential elections to be held on 15 October. Exit-poll will be held by the coalition of the ‘Free, transparent and fair elections’, which presentation was held in Baku on 15 August. ‘For civil society’ NGO, the Democratic Elections Centre, the Political Technology and Innovation Centre, the Azerbaijan’s Regional Development Centre and the Intellect NGO formed the coalition.
At the spring session the Azerbaijani Parliament made a decision enabling the local NGOs to hold exit-poll.
During a news conference, Salman Vilayatoglu, the head of the Intellect NGO, said that the coalition was established to activate voters and contribute to hold fair and transparent elections.

New chairman’s elections at the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Supreme Assembly may be delayed till the party’s convention. “We will try to hold a convention by the end of 2008. Members of the Supreme Assembly will be re-elected at the convention. Therefore, the Supreme Assembly’s chairman may be elected at the convention as well,” Fuad Mustafayev, the deputy chairman of the PFPA, said to Trend News on 13 August.
Gulamhuseyn Alibayli, the chairman of the PFPA’s Supreme Assembly, resigned from the party and his position on 8 August.
Mustafayev stated that Alibayli’s resignation could not seriously influence on the work of the Supreme Assembly. There are deputy chairmen of the Supreme Assembly and they will carry out necessary work, he said. “At present there are no candidates to the position.

The opposition Open Society Party (OSP) considers that the decision of majority of opposition parties to refuse participating in the presidential elections is not connected with the pre-election situation.
“I consider statements on non-democratic conditions of the pre-election campaign as lame excuses. Opposition’s boycotting the elections was not though out beforehand, it did not reflect the defined tactics, whilst just the opposition was subjected to follow this way,” Zamina Dunyamaliyeva, a member of the OSP and advisor of the party’s leader, said to Trend News on 12 August.
Gulamhuseyn Alibayli, a former chairman of the Azerbaijani Poular Front Party’s Supreme Assembly, nominated his candidature on 11 August and the CEC will make a decision on confirming his candiature soon.