Opposition sets conditions for new Baku-EU agreement

On the eve of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit in Brussels, the Azerbaijani National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) and the Republican Alternative (ReAl) Party have drafted the preconditions for a partnership agreement of Azerbaijan with the European Union (EU). They have urged the authorities to release all political prisoners and stop pressing the opposition.

On May 13-14, Brussels will host events on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the EaP agreement of the EU and six post-Soviet countries – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, the "ona.az" reports.

"It is necessary to bring Azerbaijan into the legal, political and economic space of Europe, and to accept the values of human rights and the rule of democracy," the NCDF has stated.

"Azerbaijan must take on international obligations in the field of free trade. Only this can put an end to corruption in the country," said Vakhid Magerramli, a member of the Coordinating Centre of the NCDF.

The NCDF believes that the Azerbaijani authorities should stop arrests for political reasons and ensure the freedoms of the media and assembly and launch the electoral reform.

In the opinion of Djamil Gasanli, the head of the NCDF, the EU should stick to its principles when signing a new agreement with Azerbaijan.

The ReAl stands for the creation of a free trade zone and deeper partnership in the spheres of energy security and democracy.