Venice Commission: "We do not plan to observe Azerbaijani local elections"

The Commission's referendum and elections department told the APA's Europe bureau, the date of the next round of negotiations between the Venice Commission and the Azerbaijani government depends on the this project. The VC thinks there will be hardly any amendments to the country's Electoral Code before the local elections scheduled for October 6, 2006.

Commenting on Azerbaijani pro-opposition Azadliq alliance' statement that it will boycott the presidential elections in 2008 if the election commissions are not formed by parity, the VC representative said this is rather a political matter adding that the Venice Commission works with the Council of Europe member countries only in legal level.

"The Venice Commission gives recommendations not receipt on forming election commissions. We have many times made our remarks on forming of election commissions. We do not plan to observe the upcoming local elections in Azerbaijan. As the Commission is interested in nationwide elections, local elections are not in our interest," the representative said.