Rovzat Gasymov: "Central Election Commission is not concerned with anyone's non-participation in the elections. The most important for us is to hold elections in line with international standards"

- What is new about the international organizations, invited to observe the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan, to be held on October 15?

- The Foreign Ministry has invited observers from OSCE and the Council of Europe. At the same time, Milli Medjlis has appealed to the Interparliamentary assembly of the CIS, Parliamentary Assembly of OSCE and PACE.

Certainly, there will be other invitations. Anyway, there can not be any problems for anyone, who has necessary experience, to observe the elections in Azerbaijan. Any interested organization can observe these elections.

- Has the exact number of foreign observers been defined yet?

- No, the exact number is still unclear. By preliminary information, the OSCE bureau on democratic institutions and human rights will be represented on the level of 30 long-term observers and 450 short-term ones. There will be about 250 observers from CIS, PACE will be represented by about 30 deputies from different European states. Nothing can be said about others but time will show.

- Will the composition of the international observation mission be changed? I remember that Azerbaijani powers had serious claims to the reports of separate organizations at the recent elections.

- Frankly speaking, these changes are of no special importance to us. As is known, the election process in Azerbaijan is in the center of public attention and is always closely watched by the international organizations. Believe me, no one would have visited an uninteresting state. No one would visit a country which is not developing. Everyone displays interest to a country, which is developing, tries to study the processes ongoing there and Azerbaijan is one of such countries.

Azerbaijan, which adheres to an independent position, differs greatly from other CIS states. While participating in different international events, I have repeatedly witnessed that. It is no secret that there are countries, which adhere to someone's opinion, while voicing their position, while Azerbaijan is independent in voicing its opinion, which means that our country has gained more in its development and we have more power. Therefore, undoubtedly, the processes, ongoing in the country, are in the center of public attention.

In this sense, I consider that the presence of few or many observers do not influence us greatly. The presence of observers proves the transparency of the conducted event. But the very process of elections and its importance depend on voters. Therefore, we attach greater importance to voters. At the same time we take steps to ensure transparent elections.

- By the way don't you think that a greater part of the Azerbaijani opposition, boycotting elections, has freed it of intrigues and predictability of the results of elections weakens the interest of the world society?

- I do not agree with this opinion. The issue of participation or non-participation of elections is a personal business of each person. Anyone's non-participation in the elections does not influence the world society, but just means deprivation of a definite part of voters of the opportunities to choose. We are not concerned about someone's non-partiсipation in the elections, this issue is not the one that we are worried about. For us it is important to hold elections in line with international standards. A person, who will be elected in the result of these elections, will lead Azerbaijan for the next five years.

The world society does not display any interest in the issue of competition, watching closely not those who participate or ignore the elections, but the very process and assessing it. In this connection the question that someone's non-participation in the elections may damage the elections, is not set at all. If the process, especially when speaking of elections, is interesting, its participants are not of great importance.

Let's pay attention to the elections in other countries, for example, the United States, which are preparing for presidential elections. Even if there were other candidates, the elections will be of concern for the world, as the very process is interesting.

Thus, in our case, it would have been incorrect to speak of the reduced interest of the world society to the upcoming elections on October 15.

/Day.Az/