Azerbaijani Authorities and Opposition Must Learn Political Culture

Presidential elections in the U.S. can be an example to the electoral system in Azerbaijan - told Objective TV (www.obyektiv.tv) Harvard graduate Bakhtiyar Hajiyev.

According to the volunteer of the campaign staff for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in 2008, no one in America, except devotees of conspiracy theories, ever doubts the objectivity of the election results at all levels. This does not prevent the extensive system of voting: directly, through the mail, the Internet, suggesting errors in the counting of votes.

Interesting is the licensing procedure: in Azerbaijan, a candidate must only spend money authorized by CEC. But in America, the candidates actively seek funds from the middle and the poor. No wonder Obama is called "the President of the poor," and most of the undecided voters are his electorate.

In the U.S., a stable political culture has developed, and it is expressed not only in the smile or a handshake of the winner and the loser. Candidates listen to all the tips, as their full-time assistants and volunteers, come up with tricky questions and answers. Campaign headquarters of Obama never spend money on the campaign in California, where many members of the Democratic Party live.

Funds are provided, for example, for inactive Ohio - voters receive letters with the signature of the candidate, which means they are respected, and this method works. In addition, Americans are convinced that their elected senior manager will determine the policy, and the vector of development of their country.

In Azerbaijan the acting President has never participated in the debate, and there is not only a virtual debate, but even picketing in public places is prohibited.

Those who wish to protest are given the most remote areas, creating problems for transport in this direction. Discrepancy is that the government does not recognize the current opposition as a real power, and the opposition does not recognize the legitimacy of the government. The dialogue does not work because the leaders of the opposition in their speeches threaten, if they come to power, to "jail all crooks and thieves." In this situation, the current officials of the highest rank and those "attached to them" use all resources to prevent radical changes.

Azerbaijan can learn not only from the U.S. but also from Georgia, which held exemplary parliamentary elections a month ago. The party of President, Mikhail Saakashvili, losing to the Georgian Dream, actually won, showing political will and a desire to establish the country's tradition of respect for political opponents. This message is not only internal, but also external audience. Now the whole Western world considers Georgia a spiritually close country with the most-favored investment. This is a proof of the victory of democratic reforms. - 17D-