Leo Platvoet leidt Raad van Europa-observatiemissie voor Azerbeidzjaanse verkiezingen (en)
Strasbourg, 11.05.2006 – An eighteen-member delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), headed by Leo Platvoet (Netherlands, UEL), will observe the partial re-run of the Azerbaijan parliamentary elections on 13 May 2006.
Following the poll on 6 November 2005, repeat elections are being held in ten constituencies in which the Central Election Commission and the Constitutional Court annulled the results. PACE said the original elections did not meet international standards despite some improvements.
The delegation, which will be in the country from 11 to 15 May 2006, will meet representatives of political parties and blocs, electoral officials and NGO representatives and will observe polling on the day of the vote.
The observers will announce their conclusions at a press conference at 1 p.m. on Sunday 14 May at the Council of Europe information office in Baku (39-41 Boyuk Gala street, Icheri Sheher, Baku 1004).
A “pre-election” delegation which visited the country from 27 to 28 April 2006 expressed concern at the lack of signs of democratic progress in the run-up to the partial election re-run.
The Assembly is due to consider the issue at its next plenary session (26-30 June 2006).
Link to a provisional list of the delegation
Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit
Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 93
Fax : +33 3 90 21 41 34
internet: www.coe.int/press
Contact:
Bas Klein, mobile +33 (0)6 62 26 54 89,
or the Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit, tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 31 93.