Farhad Ahmedov Proposes Roadmap for Democratization of Azerbaijan

Baku / 10.12.19 / Turan: A Russian billionaire of Azerbaijani origin, formerly Russian senator Farhad Ahmedov, published a lengthy article on his page in the FB dedicated to early elections in Azerbaijan.

In a publication entitled "On the Benefits of the Opposition," he speaks in an unflattering way about the dismissed composition of the Milli Majlis, calling them "pocket deputies," "not tolerating any changes and reforms."

“As a parliamentarian with experience, I look forward to expanding in the new Milli Majlis opportunities for professional lawmaking, putting forward and promoting new ideas and initiatives, as well as implementing a control and oversight function for key sectors of the state’s activity. But one of my main hopes is that as a result, a real constructive opposition will finally appear in Azerbaijan. The presence of constructive opposition is one of the key indicators of the maturity of society and the state.

The ideal, but not very widespread version of the national opposition is the English model, where the parliamentary opposition has constitutionally assigned functions of control, criticism and alternatives. The opposite is totalitarianism, in which any opposition is suppressed by any means available, and, as a result, a change of power is possible only through revolution, occupation, coup, rebellion or death of the leader.

Interaction with the constructive part of the opposition, its admission to an equal discussion, including the strategic tasks facing the state and society, enhances the legitimacy of power, enriches it intellectually, supplements the control of society over power, and makes it possible at an early stage to identify potential problems in the government-society relations, in time to take them off,” Ahmedov explains.

The absence of real opposition in the country has been going on for more than a decade and, as a result, brings more negative than positive consequences. The opposition that formally exists is either a branch of the ruling party, and in this case does not seek to develop an alternative line, or is in strong opposition to the authorities, but at the same time it has no electoral prospects and constantly appeals to street methods of influencing the authorities.

At the same time, there is a separate category of opposition that poses a potential threat - religious and political.

Farhad Ahmedov also highlights emigrant political opposition.

It does not make much sense to form a “pocket” opposition. The experience of a number of CIS countries proves this. Expectations that someday constructive opposition will appear may take years. Therefore, Ahmedov completes the publication by listing the steps that must be taken within the framework of his proposed Roadmap.

• disband and reassign the Central Election Commission, putting a new generation of apparatchiks at the head;

• reformat district election commissions;

• revise the election law, adapting it to new political realities;

• conduct elections by proportional election system;

• consider various options for structuring the new parliament, including reformatting of profile commissions;

• nominate candidates both on party and individual lists (with an advantage in favor of the latter).

- Regions where more than 51% of the population lives, form no more than 3% of the gross domestic product, and are potential foci of a social explosion. The nomination of candidates directly from areas that understand the pressing problems of the rural regions will help to partially mitigate this trend;

• attract representatives of the foreign Diaspora to participate in solving the problems of the historical homeland by using their experience and lobbying opportunities (in this connection, amend the relevant provisions of the laws on elections and citizenship);

• conduct a qualitative rebranding of the ruling party, NAP, functionally reformat its apparatus (with the involvement of modern managers), discard personnel ballast (collective membership according to the CPSU model), move away from the formal-poster style of work in society, etc. — 0—