Rights defenders criticize MEPs' refusal to observe Azerbaijani election
The European Parliament (EP) refused to observe the presidential election in Azerbaijan. Rights defenders interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" associate the refusal of MEPs with their fear to spoil relations with Baku on the eve of signing of a new partnership agreement and to provoke its turn towards Moscow.
By March 7, the Central Election Commission (CEC) registered four candidates, including Ilham Aliev.
The opposition criticized the decision to hold early election. The National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF), "Musavat" and "Umid" Parties refused to participate in the election, while the movements "Republican Alternative" (ReAl) and "Nida" announced they would not recognize the election outcome.
The European Parliament will not observe the presidential elections in Russia on March 18 and in Azerbaijan on April 11, announced MEPs David McAllister and Linda McAvan, the co-chairs of the EP's Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group.
To observe the election, Baku has invited only those organizations in which Azerbaijan is a full member. The European Union and the European Parliament are not invited, announced EU Ambassador Kestutis Jankauskas, Head of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Anar Mamedli, the chair of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre (EMDS), believes it is an "unpleasant event" that observers from the European Parliament will not come to the election in Azerbaijan.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.
Source: CK correspondent
![Tumso Abdurakhmanov. Screenshot from video posted by Abu-Saddam Shishani [LIVE] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIR3s7AB0Uw](/system/uploads/article_image/image/0001/18460/main_image_Tumso.jpg "Tumso Abdurakhmanov. Screenshot from video posted by Abu-Saddam Shishani [LIVE] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIR3s7AB0Uw")