Azerbaijani parliament to consider cancellation of limit on presidential terms

Today, a joint sitting of parliamentary commissions on legal policy, issues of state structure and human rights has approved the draft Referendum Act on making amendments and additions to the Constitution of Azerbaijan. Then, the document was passed over for consideration at the plenary session of the National Assembly. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that among offered innovations there is a point on lifting restrictions on election of one person as the country's president for more than two times.

Meanwhile, the initiative to hold a referendum on amending the Constitution and, in particular, on cancelling restrictions of presidential terms, is criticised by local human rights defenders.

"For many years Azerbaijani authorities have been imitating democratic processes, and the present proposal of the party in power 'Eni Azerbaijan' to cancel the limit on electing one and the same person as president is the continuation of this process," this opinion was expressed by Arzu Abdullaeva, head of the Azerbaijani National Committee of the Helsinki Civil Assembly, in her comment to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent of the yesterday's proposal moved by Ali Ahmedov, vice-chair of the Party "Eni Azerbaijan".

In the opinion of the human rights defender, the authors of such proposals try to please the current head of the state and, by doing so, remain at the "feeding trough".

Besides, as Ms Abdullaeva believes, this initiative has appeared under political "winds" from Russia, where the want to amend the Constitution and extend the terms in office for the president and State Duma deputies.

Today, according to point V, Article 101, of the Constitution of Azerbaijan "nobody can be elected president of Azerbaijan for more than two successive terms."