“There are no problems with the issue of selecting the candidates to run for parliament on the YAP ticket. The list will be announced the day after the writ calling the election is published.” This was stated by the Deputy Executive Secretary of YAP – Azerbaijan’s ruling New Azerbaijan Party, Siyavoush Novruzov MP, in a comment to Trend News Agency earlier this week.

Novruzov said that allegations that there were disagreements within the Party on this issue were provocations by opposition forces. He said that after the party publishes the list of candidates any one who still wanted to run, even if he was not on the list, had the right to do so, but he or she should not expect the party’s support.

Political observers in Baku however say that the issue is not so simple. In the past the selection of candidates by the ruling party has been a painful process, involving tough behind the scenes negotiations involving senior figures within the party and the government. Key personalities have often tried to push their supporters to be included. Some reports suggest that this time round the party wants to have new faces in the parliament, which means that some veterans will have to make way. While this has also happened in the past reports suggest that it may be on an even larger scale this time.

Critics of the government in Azerbaijan say that the process of selecting the candidates of YAP is not transparent. It is likely that the behind the scenes horse-trading will continue for the next month before the list is finally revealed, probably in early October.

source: CEW