Dissolution of Milli Majlis Unconstitutional, Says Jamil Hasanli

Jamil Hasanli, chairman of the National Council of Democratic Forces, has criticized the recent decisions to dissolve the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of Azerbaijan and the subsequent approval by the Constitutional Court, labeling them as unconstitutional and politically motivated.

In his remarks, Hasanli stated, "The decision to dissolve the Milli Majlis and the Constitutional Court's approval are not legal but political decisions. The National Assembly cannot dissolve itself as this procedure is not provided for in the Basic Law. Furthermore, the assembly cannot be dissolved in connection with events such as COP-29 or other international gatherings."

Hasanli pointed to Article 98.1 of the Constitution, which explicitly regulates the dissolution procedure of the Milli Majlis. According to this article, the president of Azerbaijan can dissolve the assembly only under specific conditions: if the assembly shows no confidence in the Cabinet of Ministers twice within a year, fails to appoint necessary members for the Constitutional Court or the Supreme Court, or fails to fulfill its duties specified in other relevant constitutional articles. "At the moment, none of these conditions are present," Hasanli emphasized.

He further argued that the Constitutional Court's decision contradicts Article 98.1, which clearly delineates the circumstances under which the National Assembly can be dissolved. "There is no connection between the court's decision and the constitutional provisions for dissolution. This decision is a blatant violation of the Constitution, which the court is supposed to protect."

Hasanli accused the Constitutional Court of making a political decision rather than a legal one. "Parliament can be dissolved only if the grounds specified in Article 98.1 exist, which they do not in this case. The dissolution of the assembly and the call for early elections due to COP-29 and other international events are unconstitutional and a gross violation of the law."

Additionally, he noted that the decision on quarantine, extended until October 1, complicates the situation further. Hasanli's comments were supported by Hafiz Hasanov, a prominent lawyer specializing in election issues, who elaborated on the unconstitutionality of the dissolution in an interview with Turan IA.