Candidates will not get time on OTV

On 9 October will begin the election campaign in accordance with the schedule of preparation  of parliamentary  elections, which will last until 8 am on October 31. The candidates are deprived of free access to election campaigning in the media. According to the Electoral Code, free campaigning is allowed on public television and radio, and in the state newspapers only political parties or blocs of political parties which registered their candidates in over 60 constituencies. Such a right has received only the ruling party "Yeni Azerbaijan", which, however, refused to take advantage of it. However, at the previous parliamentary elections  the ITV provided the candidates with  free airtime. At the session on 8 October Mazahir Panahov, the CEC head,  suggested that ITV refused to give air time "for economic reasons and difficulties."  However, the CEC member Akif Gurbanov reasonably objected   it and ask  how the channel, fully funded by the state  can have economic problems? "Is it right that if  the oil prices fall, then the candidate  are deprived the access to air?” asked Gurbanov, but   his questions remained unanswered. At the same time, ITV is organizing paid airtime for campaigning for an astronomical sum - 3540 manat per a minute. Thus, the campaign the free candidates will have  only street stands.

Lawyer Alasgar Mammadli considers  unreasonable the  legislative norm of free air only for parties or blocs of parties. This is contrary to the logic of the majority electoral system and creates unequal conditions for independent candidates.

On the other hand, the election is important state events and the voters need to be informed. Therefore,  the ITV is obliged to organize a debate on the election and disengagement from the process channel, financed from the state budget, is inadmissible.-06D--