THE PROGRAM OF THE NEW AZERBAIJAN PARTY
The Program of the New Azerbaijan Party adopted in the I congress of the NAP on december 21, 1999
Restoration of the Republic of Azerbaijan`s state independence at the end of the XX century is significant historical event. Such an important historical tasks as strengthening of state independence, forming of democratic, legal and civil state, restoration of integrity of republic's territory, solution of Garabagh problem according to our national interests, guaranteeing peaceful and prosperous life for country's population stand before all citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, stepping over to stage of new historical development.
The New Azerbaijan Party considers the realizations of these tasks as a main aim of its political strategy. State independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan is logical result of historical processes, taken place in the former Soviet Union and whole world, and is considered as a national property of the Azerbaijan people. Such tasks as defense of state independence and strengthening of it, forming of democratic legal state and civil society in Azerbaijan demands carrying out of consistent and aimful policy, and effective use by this purpose of country's all social-political forces, intellectual and social-economic potential.
During the period passed after the foundation of the NAP, both the Azerbaijan State and party achieved important progress in their development.
Azerbaijan has been transformed from the former USSR half-independent republic to the member of the world community, possessing equal rights, independent and democratic state. Inner- state processes are regulated, internal discords, absent of state power, anarchy, ethnic and national conflicts, armed struggle for State power and civil confrontation is stopped, a social political stability is formed on the sound basis. Important steps are taken in the sphere, forming of democratic, legal, civil state and civil society in Azerbaijan, defense of main human and civil rights and liberties.
First parliament elections on the basis of multi-party system have been held on the ground of democratic principles and experience of the world civil states and the first Constitution of our independent state, have been adopted by referendum. In order to reach a progressive development of political, economic and cultural spheres of society, broad democratic reforms are carried out.
These significant achievements, which have great historical value and is directed to the future, are gained under the leadership of the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and with close participation of the party. During this period complicated social - political processes took place and dramatic events happened in the world.
In order to defend the state independence and national security of Azerbaijan and to restore its violated territorial integrity political leadership of republic holds multi-lateral, consistent and effective course of foreign policy.
Priorities of internal and foreign policy, determined as a result of serious analysis of changes taken place at the various spheres of the state and society during the past period and of experience gained in this sphere and the main directions of the party activity are expressed in this Program.
I. MAIN IDEOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE PARTY
In order to reach the solution of its major tasks, the New Azerbaijan Party grounds on the following ideological principles in its activity:
Principle of independent state system:
The reality of the present historical period requires to receive the people's will as a main imperative in the process of the creation of independent state, to create democratic, legal and civil state relying on socially directed economy by uniting the population's all efforts relying on intellectual liberty, professionalism and competence. We can realize the historical dreams of our people and solve their problems related with their destiny only on the basis of strong and powerful independent state.
Due to this reason the independent, strong and powerful state is the first main principle of the New Azerbaijan Party.
Principle of legality: A legal state and a civil society requires division of the power legislative, executive and judicial branches and creation of mutual relations between them, which complete each- other. Without implementation of this main principle, forming one of the fundamental bases of civil, democratic state, the leadership of the Law, priority of the professionalism in management and perfection of state guidance could not be guaranteed. As a result the unscrupulousness in the social life, violation of social justice, superiority of separate group's interests over national interests could occurred, that will lead to disorder, chaos and to non-civil forms of managements in society.
Good government should not only strive to make happy humans, but also knows how to achieve this aim and capable to do this. By this reason all persons of the state, beginning from the President down to ordinary citizens should possess equal rights before the Law, be guided by national interests, obey to political, economic, legal and social norms and observe them.
The presence of democratic government relations plays an important role in defense of citizens' economic, political, social and cultural rights in civil societies. The world practice proves that superiority of the Law is defended in the legal state and civil society and the civil solidarity is formed by having respect for legal norms in social life. Namely from this point of view one of the main ideas for which we are fighting is to defend the superiority of the Law in society, to regulate the activity of people and government bodies only within the frame of the law. Due to this reason the second main principle of the party is legality.
Azerbaijanism, motherland loving principle: The New Azerbaijan Party considers all Azerbaijan citizens living in the country and outside of it, who obey Azerbaijan State and its Laws, irrespective to their language, ethnic and social origin, as Azerbaijan people and considers Azerbaijan as their common, indivisible motherland and native country.
Our party binds defense of Azerbaijan people's national - moral values, traditions, national moral mentality, language and religion by single Azerbaijan State which is considered as common motherland for everyone and which realize our people's state system feelings and state symbol.
Azerbaijan State is a single, reliable mean for guaranteeing of our national entity, integrity, peaceful and prosperous life, defense of everybody's rights and liberties. By this reason the party's third main principle is Azerbaijanism and Motherland loving which expresses national, moral and values common for all mankind.
Principle of heredity and creative progress: The history has created for us broad possibilities to form strong, democratic and independent state, to donate to our people prosperous and peaceful life and to join to our planet's civil common life system. Non-usage of such a possibility would be unforgivable mistake before future generations.
It is necessary to draw results from the history's lessons in the creation of new society and to criticize and analyze the past in the creative-constructive manner. It is impermissible to come out from the position of feelings of hate for past, guided by nihilism.
We trust that the way of carrying out of reforms by the evolution method is right one, taking into account of sound thinking's power and rules of development of society and reject any changes brought by "revolutionary destructions".
The fourth main principle of the party is heredity providing enrichment of national-moral values by values common for all mankind and their development by the creative evolutionary method. Resting of state system on heredity and creative evolution principle comes from laws of development of society and social consciousness and transforms to powerful tool of the progress.
The principle of constructive cooperation and civil solidarity: One of the supreme aims standing before the Azerbaijan citizens for the sake of renovation of our society is to achieve civil solidarity and consensus among sound forces, to remove personal and group interests rejecting any confrontation for the sake of strengthening of the state system.
Due to this reason the party's fifth main principle is active and constructive cooperation with social organizations and parties acting in Azerbaijan and, possessing progressive and sound positions in order to reach civil solidarity, to coordinate common interest in all levels for the sake of defense of national interests and to be ready for fair and open dialogue with persons guided by other ideas.
Principle of social justice: The people don't possess the same position and possibilities in the society similar to the fact, that they don't possess the same mind, intellect, physical and moral qualities. Also in the legal state, a human being cannot meet his/her material and moral needs in the same level using masterly equality condition created for everyone and equity before Laws and possibilities due to their personal qualities. But state, possessing socially directed economy, organizes help of well to do layers of society to poor and guarantee for minimum living condition for latter's using tax, social and aimed help mechanisms.
Reaching of social stability, defense of principles of humanism and justice is a main direction of the policy in such societies.
The idea to create a social state which is one of the New Azerbaijan Party's aims brings forward social justice as a sixth main principle of the party.
II. MAIN DIRECTIONS OF PARTY'S ACTIVITY FOR NEAR FUTURE
The New Azerbaijan Party guided by its stated principles determines its own activity on following main directions for near future in order to reach supreme aims standing before it:
1. Main directions of the NAP's activity in the sphere of defense of Azerbaijan's state independence, national security and gaining by our country a worthy position in the international community:
One of the main directions of the NAP's activity is defense of Azerbaijan's state independence and territorial integrity, to endeavor by the purpose that it could take worthy position in international community, to struggle for peace, progress and goodwill cooperation in the world.
a) National security and defense of national interests: From the view-point of national interests of Azerbaijan people and state the achieved main property is its independent state system. Work which will be done in direction of defense and strengthening of this property - our independence, which consists of the basis of our national interest, will be positioned on the basis of party's activity at the forthcoming stage. The main component of guaranteeing on national security of Azerbaijan is carrying on foreign policy envisaging strengthening of equal in rights cooperation in the world. The priority in foreign policy is given to providing of our national interests and to development of mutual relations with world leading countries. Defense of national interests of independent Azerbaijan State and guaranteeing of its security envisages protection of country's political, military, economic, cultural and social interests, its equal right in participation of political and economic structures of the world community.
Azerbaijan's state independence, its natural resources, geopolitical advantages are the national property of our people and members of the NAP, similar to each Azerbaijan citizen consider the defense of state independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan as their first rate function.
The Party gives higher importance to the cooperation with European security structures and to integration with the system of European security in the sphere of security of our independent state.
b) Restoration of Constitutional authorities over Garabagh: The Republic of Azerbaijan having obtained its state independence again at the end of the XX century, is suffered military aggression of its neighbors Armenia, protected by some foreign countries, more than 20 % of its territory is occupied and one million people of its population became forced refugees and migrants. Main directions of the New Azerbaijan Party's activity are peaceful regulation of Armenia - Azerbaijan conflict and Garabagh problem, liberation of occupied territories, restoration of state's territorial integrity, removal of heavy results of Armenia's military aggression, return of forced migrants home.
The NAP will continue its multi-directional activity linked by peaceful regulation of the conflict and restoration of state's territorial integrity.
One of the Party's main tasks is to fight consistently again every display of separatism, localistic tendencies, and national limitations to strengthen and to develop a multi-national state using every means.
c) Strengthening of the army, development of the country's defense potential: Party considers, that defense power of the Republic of Azerbaijan is linked by higher level of readiness of army, forming reliable guarantee for peaceful creative work of people. Increasing of readiness for battle of the armed forces using every mean, bringing up of the army and flotilla personnel in the spirit of readiness to defend the state independence and territorial integrity, increasing vigilance of all Azerbaijan citizens should be one of most important tasks of the Party and State.
Modernization of structural composition of the Army, more operative management of it, using the world experience and modernization of technical supply of the armed forces should be carried out regularly. Forming soldiers and military servicemen possessing every physical and moral readiness, and faithful to army principles, bringing them up in the spirit of patriotism, normalization of moral media in the army and protection of its authority should be positioned at the level of national work.
d) Foreign policy and international relations: The modern world is characterized with its contradictions, complexities, dynamic character of international relations.
Multi-lateral economic, political, scientific-technical and strategic ties expressing common interests are created among states. Interconnection of countries and peoples is growing by the time passed. All these place new requirements before the state in the sphere of both the foreign and internal policy.
The New Azerbaijan Party considers as important for the sphere of foreign policy creation of close ties with progressive forces fighting for peace, social progress and goodwill cooperation in the world community, forming equal in rights and mutual relations with all states, guaranteeing possibility for Azerbaijan people to live in the condition of stable peace and safety, to be engaged on civil construction.
The party considers the common efforts of forces striving to piece, social progress, freedom, independence, goodwill cooperation as a guarantee for happy future of mankind.
Respect to geographical-territorial and political realities occurred as a result of collapse of the USSR is a main condition for stability in the Caucasus region and also in the other regions. The NAP strongly oppose to any attempts to revise and change them under any ethnic separatist pretence.
The party considers it important to remove by peaceful way conflicts, existing between states, having various economic and political interest.
The NAP prefers integration of our country in the European and Euro-Atlantic political, economical and security space as a main direction of foreign policy in order to guarantee territorial integrity and to protect our independent state, national and strategic interests and national security at the forthcoming stage. The party considers as necessary to broaden active cooperation with UNO, OSCE, NATO, European Council, European Association, CIS, Organization of Islamic Conference, Commonwealth of States, language of which are based on Turkish and other such respectful regional organizations, to carry out broad activity by purpose to create new possibilities which can serve for development, security and progress of each state in these structures.
At the same time the Party will pay a close attention to such questions as forming of equal in rights, mutual and useful relations between Azerbaijan and all neighbors and regional states, with all countries and peoples of the planet, usage of experience of leading countries on construction of democratic society, economic development and social policy and effective application of such an experience in our country. The party considers necessary in foreign policy such principles as non-interference of states to internal affairs of each-other, mutual respect to national interests of each people, creation of most possible mutual credit between states on the basis of international law and principles, to develop interstate relations envisaging the protection of common interest.
2.Party's internal policy strategy
a) Development of political system of the society: Protection of all rights and liberties, legal norms, confirmed by the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, providing for dynamic development of society's social-political system, all-sided defense of ideas on independent state system, legality, political pluralism and democratic values, forming of effective mechanism and democratic political culture consist the basis of the NAP's internal policy strategy for present stage.
The state powership acting on the basis of mutual ties of three independent branches of political power forms the basis of Azerbaijan societies system.
The vital questions of the Party's policy are development and strengthening of independent, democratic and powerful Azerbaijan State, to transform legality to the constant life norm, to reveal more completely and to provide state's creative, constructive role.
The party considers as important to strengthen the activity of Milli Majlis, which is one of main branches of political power, to elect most deserved and respectful representatives of all people and select political parties to this organ, to increase authority and work effectiveness of legislative power and to modernize the legislative work in consistent manner.
The party works for free and businesslike discussion of all questions, and further upgrading of mechanism for adoption of law practiced in Milli Majlis` activity.
The party gives higher importance to further strengthening of presidency guiding form, which carries out executive power function, further modernization of executive power system and management over them, more complete meeting of peoples material and moral needs.
The Party makes serious efforts to strengthen legal basis of the state and social life, to organize of judicial power, carrying out control on unconditional observing of Law and legal norms on the basis of world practice, and in the modernized and civil form and to remove problems existing in this sphere.
The Party works for preparation and application of mechanism for taking into consideration of people's will in the sphere of creation of democratic state, determination of functions and authorities in the manner specific for modern management, increasing of political and legal responsibility, modernization of mechanism for selection and placement of cadres.
The Party works for application of democratic principles in management of the country, democratic pluralism, consistent development of democratic system formed on the basis of people's will, forming of civil society foundations, social structures and organizations and for its attraction to active state creation process.
The Party consider it necessary to upgrade the legislative basis of local self-government, and to take effective measures in the process of forming municipalities, using democratic principles.
Guaranteeing of full conformity of protection of main human and civil rights and liberties to existing normative legal acts, international standards, international conventions supported by the Republic of Azerbaijan will ever be in the center of party's attention.
The New Azerbaijan Party considers forming of free society guided by principle of free human and freethinking as one of the main directions of internal policy.
The Party considers it as important, that people should possess active position of citizenship, think independently and freely, closely participate in the work of social organizations, movements and associations created by the purpose to protect traditions and to enrich them by values common for all mankind.
The Party works for strengthening and development of interrelations between legal state and civil society by forming manner of democratic thinking of people .
The New Azerbaijan Party considers as one of its main principles active cooperation with all social organizations and parties, with which consent is reached on main positions. Main motto of the Party in this sphere is not to be opposition for the sake of its formal existence, but to serve for people and state irrespective to sphere of activity.
The Party states, that equal legal condition should be formed at elections for all political parties, civil citizens, and any form of discrimination is unacceptable and considers permanent modernization of election's legislation and practice as one of main tasks.
Along with free existence of various religions, freedom of religion, separation of religion and state, in Azerbaijan which has chosen the way of creation of civil state, protection of national- moral values, language, religion, traditions, cultural entity of Azerbaijan from foreign and extraneous influences is covered by permanent attention of the Party.
b) Economic policy: Economy, as a basis for existence of each state, is considered as a main sphere of its activity. Powerful economy guarantees living of citizens in condition of prosperous life enriched from material, moral and social point of view.
The Party considers, that Azerbaijan possesses rich intellectual potential, main production funds and big labor forces. All of them should be used for strengthening independence of Azerbaijan and for increasing of living standards of the population.
The Party considers irreversible development of socially directed market economy and agrarian economic relations which could guarantee deserved stability and prosperous life in society, forming of market infrastructure by the way of future continuation of economic and agrarian reforms, realized consistently and effectively last years, and integration of Azerbaijan by the world economy as the task on highest importance.
Our strategic line is broad usage results of scientific-technical progress existing in the world countries, and modern technology, and transition to economy possessing advanced economic relations by adaptation of productive forces, economic mechanisms, economic system to new conditions.
Organizing of flexible and operative management of structural and investment policy and forming it on the basis of scientific prognosis and economic programming are most vital questions for the near future.
Attraction of foreign investments to the country's economy and mobilization of internal possibilities should stay as main tool for economic development. The party considers investment by amount of 60 billion US dollars placed for 30 years period on oil contracts, signed during five past years as a basis for future economic progress.
The Party also support providing of free competition and free activity of multi-type property, stimulation of free ownership and gradual decrease of the state direct economic activity function by deregulation of the economy.
The Party pays serious attention to carrying on special and aimful regional policy in economic sphere by the purpose of providing dynamic development of country's individual regions.
The party appreciates the broadening of the country's transit potential, the program "TRASECA" commissioning of such transport -communication lines as "Silky Way" as a factor which plays important role in economic progress of Azerbaijan.
Privatization of state property takes an important place in the process of economic reforms, realizations of which planned by the Party.
The Party considers such measures as further modernization of country's budget-tax mechanism, bringing of monetary-credit policy in conformity with modern requirements, further liberalization of currency regime, increasing of country's export potential, further liberalization of foreign trade, normalizing of the banks and reorganization of them using privatization, budget-tax and customs policy as major questions forming ground of strategy for economy policy.
c) Social policy: The party prefers to carry out an active and aimful social policy in order to speed up country's economic progress, to create worthy living conditions for citizens using social reforms, to increase people's working and social activity, to protect and keep on social - political stability, to propagate sound manner of human's life.
During the transition period an active system for social protection of population's less provided layers by state should be created along with the development of social-economic activity of citizens on the basis of social policy.
By this purpose efforts should be taken for creation of favorable condition for socially directed enterprises, direct investments of private ownership structures to these spheres and regulation of them by lowering of taxes imposed to investments placed by private owners.
In the sphere of the social policy of the NAP, its strategic plan of development consists of care for human, creation of necessary condition for meeting of human's material and moral needs, permanent protection principle of social justice, easing of sharp stratification between various social groups.
The Party considers, that each person has right to live better. Providing of worthy living standards for citizens of Azerbaijan, which possesses rich natural resources should be a primary task.
The Party considers carrying out reforms in the system of wages and provision of pensions, increasing of wages, pensions, social payments, opening of new work places as one of its major tasks.
The NAP pays special attention to strengthening of social protection of mothers and children, unemployed women, aged persons, disabled persons, poor single families which lost their heads, payment of deserved pensions and subsidies to such citizens and taking care of them.
Stage by stage bringing of incomes and wages of less provided population groups to minimum living level, possession of separate living square-flat or individual home for each family, care for development various forms of flat constructions, giving of privileged long-term credits to young families in order to purchase flat or to construct home should be positioned in the center of attention during the transition period.
d) Main directions of party's activity in the sphere of social-cultural and moral progress:The New Azerbaijan Party considers as major task in the sphere of moral progress to bring up the Azerbaijan citizen who possesses thinking on national state system, rich, moral, scientific-intellectual potential, and who is industrious, humanistic, patriot and socially active.
In order to carry out these tasks, the party deems it necessary to bring such questions as the development of main spheres of social- cultural life, science, education and culture, bringing up of young generation to the level of national and common state function and carry out effective state policy in this direction.
Development of science, education, culture, sport, medicine in the process of forming of new social-economic and political relations require financing from the state budget.
Azerbaijan's scientific, historical-cultural heritage and its moral potential have given worthy contributions to the treasury of the world culture.
Proper level of development of culture, science and education, physical training and sport could be strong factor for equal in rights participation of independent Azerbaijan in the world civilization. In link with aforesaid, the Party prefers along with stimulation of private spheres also in such guest ions as development of science, education, culture, sport and medicine and usage of the world's experience, existed in this sphere, to protect and keep on the state financing system, further modernization of its application and effectiveness.
It is necessary to reach modern level of development of these spheres on the basis of optimal management, to strengthen their social role and authority, to protect property, to work for usage and application of most progressive achievements of scientific-technical progress taken place in the world.
Educational system of Azerbaijan, irrespective to form of property, should accord to our national interests and traditions, and rely on values, common for all mankind and democratic and civil principles.
The Party is highly appreciating the role played by culture in the system of major factors providing national progress, pays special attention carrying of consistent and open cultural policy.
The Party considers the development of tradions of charity in the sphere of culture, the protection of cultural heritage, historical-cultural monuments as national and common state task.
The Party will ever give special attention to the further increasing of limit for expenses, financed for culture from state budget, providing of active state and social control over expenditure of budget means given to culture.
The Party considers necessary to increase the role of literature and art, which inspire billions of peoples to live and to work and which is major source of their spirit and to increase the state care for this sphere. Because the literature and art express common for all mankind feelings and thoughts of humans, play an important role in enriching and moral bringing them up.
The party requires ever to practice an attitude to the development of literature and art, which consists of such attention and care, that it doesn't break ties with people's life and can express reality properly and with highest artistic merit.
The new leading practices and progress should be expressed inspired, and all factors preventing development of society should be exposed furiously.
The Party considers necessary ever rendering of state care to creative intellectuals providing development of moral sphere and stresses the importance of careful and esteemful attitude to talented persons, artistic research, sport, physical and moral health.
The New Azerbaijan Party gives higher importance to normalization of society, moral fairness of humans, protection and existence of progressive values of Islamic religion which passed through ordeals of centuries. It wages serious struggle against appearances which conflict with social behavior, national morality and our traditions and mentality.
The Party, considering demonstration of decision to fight seriously against criminal and corruptive elements occurred in objective and subjective conditions of the past period and to observe legality and legal norms in Azerbaijan as its main task, calls each party member to struggle against such negative appearances.
The NAP considers as important protection of physical health of country's citizens and prolongation of their active life period, appreciate creation of relevant condition for all types of highly professional medical services, complete meeting of urban and rural population's need for medicine as most vital and important tasks.
The party considers as vital question of present time carrying out market economy reforms in Health Protection, broad application of private initiatives in this sphere, creation condition for multi-type property by purpose of further development of enterprises engaged on protection of mothers and children, polyclinics, hospitals, network of resorts, full providing of them by modern medical apparatus and equipments, means for treatment and sanitary-hygienic appliances.
The Party considers as the question of higher priority the keeping on and modernization of mechanism for free of charge medical services for poor families needing social protection and for other layers, increasing of state care for mothers and children, protection of children's health. It considers as urgent, first rate state task to protect common ecological health in the country, to take part closely at the global economic programs in order to prevent the pollution of environment.
The New Azerbaijan Party as a political organization broadly represented in the political power, all structures of state management and existing in state leadership will decisively work for carrying out activity the program, presented for the near future.
The Party is ready to cooperate widely with social-political organizations and each Azerbaijan citizen, all internal and external structures having interest in realization of this program and to use widely their possibilities and abilities.