MP Fazil Mustafa stresses the importance of the Peace Treaty for parliamentary control over the army

Baku/21.06.23/Turan: Fazil Mustafa, a deputy of the Milli Majlis and deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Culture, emphasized the significance of signing a Large Peace Treaty with Armenia as a crucial step toward democratic reforms and the establishment of civilian control over the army. While Armenia's obstruction of the peaceful development of the Karabakh process raises concerns about the possibility of renewed conflict, preserving presidential rule in the republic remains necessary. Consequently, it is premature to initiate democratic reforms at this stage, Mustafa stated.

Speaking at a round table on civilian control over law enforcement agencies, organized by the Geneva Center for Civil Government Security and the Azerbaijani Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Mustafa asserted that signing the Large Peace Treaty would facilitate the implementation of recommendations from organizations like the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) regarding democratization in Azerbaijan. Currently, the country allocates substantial resources to counter Armenian revanchism following its victory in 2020.

Mustafa also revealed that discussions on the need for parliamentary control over the power bloc have recently gained momentum in the Milli Majlis. Moreover, there has been an increased flow of information from law enforcement agencies to the parliament, allowing deputies to address shortcomings in these agencies, which was not the case in previous years.

"It is essential to develop specialized civil organizations capable of overseeing the activities of the army and other armed structures," Mustafa added. He further advocated for the establishment of an ombudsman institution to safeguard human rights within the military. Strengthening and specializing parliamentary structures associated with law enforcement agencies is also necessary, he emphasized.

Mustafa proposed amendments to the Law on the Armed Forces, highlighting the legality of parliamentary participation in overseeing the army's activities and the military budget.

Deputy Hikmet Babaoglu, who was present at the round table, opposed Mustafa's proposals, labeling the idea of civilian control over law enforcement agencies as "machinations of world imperialism" hostile to Azerbaijan.