The National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) announces its position on an agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU

Baku / 04.24.19 / Turan: The National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) made an appraisal statement regarding the upcoming new agreement on partnership between Azerbaijan and the EU. The NCDF believes that the full integration of Azerbaijan into the legal, political, economic and cultural space of Europe as a full member is an important and correct strategic choice that meets the highest interests of the people and the state, and there is no alternative to this.

"The free, happy and prosperous future of Azerbaijan is in close rapprochement and cooperation with the EU, full and deep integration into the European geopolitical space, in full membership of the European family of nations," said the statement of the NCDF, distributed on April 24.

However, according to the authors of the statement, today Azerbaijan is more famous in the world for corruption scandals, monopolies, unlimited power, election fraud, non-transparent government, torture, extrajudicial killings, political prisoners, etc. The NCDF believes that, compared with 2001, when the country joined the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan seriously regressed in the areas of human rights and democracy, good governance, and pressure on institutions and civil society activists, etc., increased in the country.

The NCDF ideally wishes the soonest signing of the Association Agreement covering the issues of deeper economic integration and free trade of Azerbaijan with the EU.

The statement also noted, if a new partnership agreement is signed in the context of persecution of citizens for political reasons, increasing pressure and political discrimination, it will not contribute to the genuine integration of Azerbaijan into the European space, and meet the interests of the people and state , and will serve the Aliyev regime.

In addition, the NDDF indicates that any agreement with the EU should recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, including Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied lands (as was the case with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova). The NCDF, expressing support for the resolution of the European Parliament concerning the relations of Azerbaijan and the EU of July 4, 2018, considers that the European Commission should encourage official Baku to fulfill the requirements set forth in this document.

NCDF believes that the following steps should be taken as soon as possible:

- all political prisoners were released and the practice of politically motivated arrests was brought to an end;

- serious steps have been taken to ensure freedom of assembly;

- taking into account the recommendations of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and the OSCE ODIHR, the electoral legislation should be improved and fundamental electoral reforms should be carried out;

- a favorable environment has been restored for the activities of independent civil society institutions;

- the practice of persecution of parties and activists, any discrimination on political grounds was stopped;

- imitation of the fight against corruption and monopolism should be stopped, real reforms implemented, artificial obstacles to the country's accession to the WTO should be eliminated;

- ensured the independence of the judiciary, its deliverance from the orders of the executive, not real imitative, but real reforms in the judicial and legal sphere were carried out.

The NCDF believes that to ensure the legitimate interests of the Azerbaijani people, it is necessary to ensure the transparency of the process, and the agreement must be disclosed to the public before being signed. -03D06--