Sanctions can be imposed on Azerbaijani political parties not providing financial reports

The draft law on political parties, which will be discussed at the autumn session of the Azerbaijani Parliament, will require political parties to provide financial reports, a member of ruling New Azerbaijan Party's political council, MP Aydin Mirzazade said.

He said the issue that the parties now do not provide financial reports is linked with the fact that they hide the sources of their funding. However, according to Mirzazade, this question can not be referred to all parties.

"The financial situation of several parties is terrible. One part can not extend their activities outside Baku, the other part is simply trying to hide their financial sources. The parties that have big offices, make foreign visits do not provide reports and as a rule, say that they do this with the help of friends. The strength of the new law would be that any assistance to the party will surely be made through party cash registers, and this will be reflected in financial reports. The future law should impose sanctions on parties that do not submit financial reports," said Mirzazade.

If it deals with hiding the source of funding, it means there is "dirty" money here, funding from abroad, the desire to hide from the public that the party really has great financial resources, he said.

"Sometimes the opposition parties do not hide that they are financed from abroad. The protection of national interests of Azerbaijan by the parties financed from abroad is under a big question," he said.

The autumn session of the Parliament can discuss a new draft law on political parties. Political parties have made proposals to make amendments and changes on funding of parties to the existing Law on Political Parties or adopt a new law.


/Trend/