Sardar Jalaloghlu: "Azadlyg bloc made an unexpected decision about boycott without consulting with anyone"

- How does the party's preparation for presidential election proceed?

- Amendments, introduced to the Electoral Code, have created an atmosphere of uncertainly, initiating discussions inside the party about the expediency to take part in the presidential racings. Some party activists insist on rejecting to participate in the elections and in this connection they demand the session of the party.

Until today the elections in Azerbaijan have been formal, including meetings with voters, election agitation, speeches on television, participation of voters and others. At the same time, the results of elections remained changeless, thus real results of voting differed from formal ones.

Today, after amendments are introduced, the formal side of presidential elections will be absent. We have decided to take part in the elections before the amendments were adopted. The situation has recently cghanged. As is known, PACE has adopted a resolution "On functioning of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan", which fixes serious concerns with worsened situation in the sphere of human rights in Azerbaijan.

- Under which conditions would you want to participate in the presidential racings?

- Under conditions when participation in the elections would have a sense. It is clear that it will be impossible to win the presidential elections in Azerbaijan in such conditions. Nevertheless, it is necessary at least to change the policy of the authorities. The party decided to take part in the elections considering it, but the amendments to the law have deprived us of this chance as well. Therefore, there is an atmosphere of uncertainty within the party as to the participation in the elections.

- Does it mean you also intend to boycott the elections?

- In this case the issue is not the boycott. I treat the issue of boycott seriously, unlike others. Boycott is even more serious than the participation in the elections. At least we can reject participating in the elections.

- Does it mean that the democratic party decided to support Azadlyg?

- To support Azadlyg is not a crime. The bloc made an unexpected decision about boycott without consulting with anyone or putting it for public discussion. Before initiating boycott, they should have conducted public discussions. The decision to boycott elections should have been passed through democratic procedures. As far as I know, the leaders of Azadlyg bloc decided to boycott the elections without a session, by sitting in their homes and calling each other by cell phones. We hope the country's president will not sign these amendments to the law. We are still waiting. There are two motives of participation in the presidential elections. First is to come to power and second to fight for democratic processes in the country and sometimes the second is more important that the first.

- Did Azadlyg bloc suggest you to boycott elections? Because, when I was waiting for you to receive me I saw one of the bloc leaders- Ali Aliyev, leaving your office...

- Talks between political organizations start when their positions coincide. Yesterday I also met with a leader of another bloc. Talks are held on different issues with various political associations. However, we pass the final decision. Today a number of our colleagues blame us for intention to take part in the elections. But the point that the stronger the international image of Azerbaijan is affected the stronger is the threat posed to the national interests of the country.

Being a politician, I can reject participating in the elections for meeting my own interests and show the world community the anti-democracy of the ruling powers. In the result, world states start to press Azerbaijan for concessions and put forward more demands in Nagorno Karabakh issue. And  which position should I take, being a person, who pursues the national interests of the country? Of course, I would try not to affect the international image of Azerbaijan.

/Day.Az/