COPENHAGEN, 15 February 2011 – PA Vice-President and Special Co-ordinator of the November 2010 OSCE Election Observation Mission in Azerbaijan Wolfgang Grossruck (Austria) led a post-election visit to Baku on 9-13 February. Meeting with representatives from parliament (Milli Mejlis) and government as well as with political parties and other representatives of civil society and the media, Mr. Grossruck discussed the post-election situation, the election report and future steps to be taken in order to further develop democracy in Azerbaijan.
In his talks, Mr. Grossruck reiterated the November 2010 post-election statement which he had delivered on behalf of the short term OSCE Observation Mission composed of the PA and the ODIHR. He explained that only a statement based on hearing all sides and not omitting any observations, whether positive or negative, is fair and guarantees the highest credibility. He also urged the government to co-operate closely with the OSCE in addressing issues listed in the statement and to do its part to strengthen democracy by promoting a competitive opposition.
Vice-President Grossruck also promised to look into the recommendations made by the Chairman of the Musavat Party and the representatives of civil society for urgently needed improvements in ODIHR’s election methodology.
Mr. Grossruck’s interlocutors included Speaker of the Parliament Ogtay Asadov, Dep. Speaker and Head of the PA’s Azerbaijani Delegation Bahar Muradova, Chairman of the Council of State Support to NGOs Azay Guliyev (MP), Dep. Foreign Minister Mahmud Ahmed Mammad-Guliyev, Chairman of the Central Election Commission Mazahir Panahov, Head of the OSCE Office in Baku, Amb. Bilge Cancorel, Austrian Ambassador Sylvia Meier-Kajbic. Mr. Grossruck also met with the Chairpersons of political parties – Ali Ahmedov (Yeni Azerbaijan), Isa Gambar (Musavat), Ali Karimli (Popular Front), Fazail Gazanfaroglu (Great Order) – as well as representatives of five NGOs and two newspapers.
The OSCE PA delegation also included Amb. Andreas Nothelle, PA Special Representative in Vienna, and Lukas Mussi from the Austrian Parliament. Mr. Grossruck is expected to report on the elections to the OSCE PA’s Standing Committee meeting on 25 February in Vienna.
