Rasul Guliyev Recommends Protest

Presidential elections to be held next year is the main theme of the conference: 

"Nearest prospects of Azerbaijani Democracy: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities", organized by political parties involved in the Majlis of democratic forces.

The conference was held in the new office of the Open Society Party. Other political parties, NGOs and experts participated in the conference.

Other topics of the conference included: the immediate prospects of democracy, international commitments on elections, forms of struggle against authoritarian rule, attitudes between authorities and opposition, a single candidate in the elections, etc. "Presidential elections in 2013 is the last chance for democracy. Otherwise, the future of the country is under question," said a video message from “Open Society” leader Rasul Guliyev.

If presidential elections are not free and fair, the country will face a chaos. "Azerbaijan is isolated from the civilized world, and the process continues. The country is dependent on oil, the price for which will soon fall. This means the agony of the budget and the subsequent devaluation and inflation. The rich will leave the country, and the opposition will not be able to run the country," said Guliyev. For free and democratic elections, electoral commissions should be re-formed on a parity basis, under the guarantees of UN, OSCE and EU. Ballot papers and records must be kept for 25 years. TV, financed from the state budget, the opposition should provide airtime for an hour.

Opposition rallies should be held in the central squares of the capital. If this is not allowed, daily pickets must be conducted. "We need to make sure that every day starts with a discussion of the authorities picket" - recommended Rasul Guliyev, who has been living abroad since 1996.

"We are not demanding the resignation; we require compliance with the law. Power is not strong and is not built on a solid foundation. Loss of only one brick of the building is enough," said Guliyev.

The opposition should not trust the government's recent proposal of dialogue with the opposition; Guliyev called on the opposition to unite.

Lawyer Fuad Agayev spoke about the issue of guaranteed of property rights. According to him, in the CIS, the most difficult situation occurs in Azerbaijan. Continuation of current policy will lead to chaos. Other speakers noted that corruption, bribery, violation of the laws have long been common in the country.

Expenditures from the State Oil Fund are not transparent. So far, the Fund spent 30 billion manat, and transferred to the state budget 29 billion 772 million manat. The budget is very dependent on oil revenues, said Mirvari Gahramanli, chair of the Committee to Protect the Rights of Oil Workers. -03C04-