NEW AZERBAIJAN PARTY

Q: Mr. Novruzov, the Cabinet of Ministers submitted its first report to the Milli Majlis on March 17. What can you say of it?

A: I hail this report, and I expressed my opinion at the Milli Majlis session. As you know the Cabinet of Ministers holds quarterly meetings chaired by President Ilham Aliyev every year. These meetings discuss the country`s socio-economic development, half –year results, and also outlines future tasks. In January, the cabinet held the meeting on the results of 2014.

Indeed the year 2014 was very successful for our country. I should particularly emphasize the development of the non –oil sector. This means that the policy of diversification of the economy is already yielding fruits.It is President Ilham Aliyev`s well-though out and purposeful policy that lies behind our success.

Q: Preparations are underway for reporting conference of YAP Youth Wing. This includes meetings in new bodies of youth wings. What is your opinion about this?

A: I should say that the majority of local bodies in our party`s youth wings have already held reporting conferences. Our youth are actively involved in public and political processes, they realize their responsibility.

The larger part of those who joined the New Azerbaijan Party in the last years are youth.  We witness the activity of our youth in elections too. Today YAP numbers more than 650,000 members, and 40 percent of them are youth.

The year 2014 saw 29,000 people join the New Azerbaijan Party, and 78 percent of them were young people.

In general, the New Azerbaijan party places great emphasis on the development of youth.

Q: Azerbaijan will hold parliamentary elections this year. We would like you to highlight pre-election situation in the country.

A: As you know there are forces that do not want to see a developed, independent Azerbaijan. They are making attempts to destabilize situation in the country. But these attempts have always been unsuccessful. There is a strong public and political stability, civil solidarity in our country. There is a civil, intellectual society in Azerbaijan, which very well realizes what is happening in the world. So one of our most important achievements is that we have managed to preserve stability, and this process is supported by the entire people of Azerbaijan.

Taking this into account one can confidently say that our country is successfully moving forward towards the parliamentary elections. Pre-election situation in the country is normal, there is public and political stability, and perfect election system in the country. Azerbaijan has built an international standard legislation, and the election code allows to conduct free, transparent and democratic elections.

Q: The New Azerbaijan party has already launched preparations for the parliamentary elections. Could you please highlight this process?

A: The New Azerbaijan Party has a special program on the parliamentary elections. As instructed by YAP Board of Directors, we have already embarked on the preparations for the elections. As you know The All-Republican conference of the chairmen of the New Azerbaijan Party`s district and city branches has recently been held. This meeting featured wide discussions on election issues.

In general the New Azerbaijan Party has rich election experience. At recent municipal elections, for example, we established electoral headquarters in more than eighty districts and cities.We carried out trainings for our representatives. The Board of Directors of the party appointed its plenipotentiary representatives for the municipal elections.We also attach particular importance to involving youth, women and activists in these processes.

We also widely use advanced technologies during the election.he advanced technologies applied in presidential, municipal elections will be introduced in parliamentary elections too. This helps us learn world practice, and improve our own practice. In general, preparations for an election take a year. After the municipal elections we studied all our reports to find out where we have shortcomings. Now we are drawing up a new plan of action and program. At the second stage we will select party activist who will deal with the application of election technologies. What does it include? Firstly, it is voters` movement. They move to other places, change their place of residence. This manifested itself during the municipal elections. We regularly work on voters lists. We try to assign three activists to each constituency. We already started to create these groups. We will conduct trainings for these groups to educate them on how to work with voters. We attach great importance to carrying out promotion campaign.

Q: Authority-opposition dialogue has recently been held. What is your vision for the prospects of this dialogue?

A: The New Azerbaijan Party has always attached great importance to dialogue. The authority and the opposition can discuss any topic, because these two institutions actually determine the current and future political, public and social management of the Azerbaijani society, the fate of the domestic and foreign policy.We had several meetings between ruling and opposition parties. The last meeting marked very good results. Four conditions set at that meeting were supported by all parties. We decided to hold this meeting every two months. It is praiseworthy. This initiative is praised and supported by all parties. Musavat has already stated that they will attend the next meeting. The main problem here is that Musavat lacks legitimacy. At a recent congress Musavat was illegally divided into two parts. And there is no dialogue between these two parts. Our opposition parties lack dialogue today. As far as AXCP is concerned they cannot reach internal agreement. But they are welcome.

Q: How do you think do these parties have any chances to gain any results at the parliamentary elections?

A: Certainly they have no chances to achieve anything at the elections. This was confirmed by the last presidential and municipal elections. A political party that does not serve the interests of the people and society can achieve nothing. They do not have social base. So they have zero chances of achieving something at the elections.