MAMMEDOV: WE CAN’T ESTABLISH AN ELECTORAL COMMISSION IN THE THIRD COUNTRY FOR ARMENIANS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN
Author: S. Ilhamgizi
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
March 13 2006
There is no chance for Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian origin living
in Armenia or in any other country to participate in the second round
of parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, the Secretary of the Central
Electoral Commission (CEC), Natig Mammedov, told Trend.
The Armenian agency Arka, linking to other Armenian mass media
sources reports that a number of Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian
origin living in Armenia have showed interest in participating in
the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan and even put forward their
candidatures for nomination. They have contacted CEC and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan with the same intentions. In case if
it is not possible for them to participate in elections in Azerbaijan,
they have suggested opening electoral commission in the third country.
Mammedov has noted that they [CEC] do not possess this sort
of information. He also added that according to the Azerbaijani
legislature it is not possible for persons living in other countries
to participate in elections. To do so, they first have to prove their
citizenship. On the other hand, both nominations for elections and
subscription lists submission stages have already finished on March
13. This means, that no citizen, irrespective of nationality can
participate in the electoral process at this stage.
The Azerbaijani legislature does not have regulations providing
creation of the electoral commissions in the third countries and
holding parliamentary elections there, the head of CEC also added.
“The Azerbaijani Constitution identifies rights of every citizen,
irrespective of his/her nationality to elect and be elected, even if
they are Armenians. These rights are accepted and protected by the
state. However, at this stage it is too late to register those Azeri
citizens of Armenian origin willing to participate in elections. They
had to address CEC in the identified by the law legitimate for
elections time span,” CEC Secretary said.