EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby, who is on a visit to Baku, is holding meetings with the country’s ruling party, Yeni Azerbaijan, led by President Ilham Aliev, as well as with opposition political forces.

At his meeting with President Aliev’s Assistant for Party Affairs Ali Ahmedov, the sides exchanged views on preparations for the parliamentary elections scheduled for November 7, as well as on the pre-election political situation.

On September 6, Peter Semneby held a meeting with Isa Gambar, the leader of the opposition party Musavat. The sides discussed preparations and the pre-election situation in the country. The EU official is also scheduled to meet with Chairman of the Umid Party Igbal Aghazade, and with the leader of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Ali Kerimli.

Talking to journalists following his meeting with Azeri FM Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku, Semneby pointed out the international community’s great attention to the forthcoming elections in Azerbaijan.

The EU official emphasized the importance of media coverage of the elections and the necessity for voters getting acquainted with the election programs. He expressed hope political forces will be able to hold public meetings.

Semneby said observers from EU member-states will join the OSCE observer mission. He does not rule out his being among the observers, which was the during the presidential election in Azerbaijan.

At his meeting with the Azeri FM, the EU official discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, freedom of speech situation, as well as the situation in Georgia and Iran.

Since 2005 parliamentary elections have been held by the majority system. On the ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan’s initiative party list system was abolished, which minimized the possibility of opposition members getting into Parliament. The international community goes on winking at the lack of equal opportunities for all political forces, TV and radio censorship and so on.