AZERI ELECTION: OPPOSITION CANDIDATES URGE AUTHORITIES TO RESIGN
ITV, Baku, in Azeri
26 Sep 05
Azerbaijani Public TV relayed its first debate among representatives
of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), the Liberal Party of
Azerbaijan and the opposition Azadliq, Yeni Siyasat blocs at 1600
gmt on 25 September.
The TV debate was dedicated to the socio-economic situation in
Azerbaijan.
Akif Sahbazov from the Azadliq election bloc said that the government
and people represented in the Azerbaijani government are more
interested in their own affairs rather than in the interests of
the government.
Sahbazov said the country’s prime minister and his team were not
capable of conducting any reform. He ruled out any progress in the
economic and other spheres if the current authorities did not change.
Vahid Axundov from the Yeni Siyasat election bloc said that Azerbaijan
has a problem of unemployment and the only way of dealing with the
issue was to ensure that big enterprises resume their work.
He said that along with the oil sector, all other spheres should
develop.
He said that monopolies and poor credit markets damage Azerbaijan’s
economy. He urged the Azerbaijani government to resign and said that
a new cabinet should be formed.
Mubariz Qurbanli from the NAP accused the opposition of using all
means possible to discredit the socio-economic development in the
country. He described as ridiculous a comparison of the Azerbaijani
and Armenian economies.
Avaz Temirxan from the Liberal Party of Azerbaijan quoted a
representative of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
in Baku as saying that there was no democratic environment for
businesses in Azerbaijan.
He said that Azerbaijan lags behind almost all the CIS countries for
its living standards and the average salary.
The deputy chairman of the Liberal Party said that monopolies,
corruption, bribery, misappropriation and officials’ arbitrariness
were the main reasons behind the poverty.
Video: candidates in a round-table studio format.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress