CONSTITUTIONAL COURT ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN

Baku, 22 0ctober ,(AzerTAj) - On October 22, a plenary session of the Constitutional Court of the Azerbaijan Republic tool place under the chairmanship of the court’s Chairman Farkhad Abdullayev to consider materials submitted by the Central Electoral Commission and officially announce the results of the October 15 presidential
elections in Azerbaijan.

Present in the session were Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Mazahir
Panakhov, his Deputy Svetlana Gasymova, Secretary Natig Mamadov, members of the
commission and experts.
Addressing the session, Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Mazahir said:
the elections were prepared and held, generally, in accordance with recommendations
of the international organizations and the Election Code meeting international
standards.
All necessary actions were taken in accordance with law and calendar plan, and that
voter lists were posted on the website of the Central Electoral Commission. Every
condition was created for 7 candidates to campaign freely. The elections were being
monitored by nearly 50,000 local observers, 1250 observers representing 44
international organizations as well as by some 60 representatives of foreign mass
media. In order to ensure more transparency in the elections, web cameras were
installed in 500 polling stations to make them accessible through the internet.
There were no violations of law in the polling stations on the voting day. There was
much enthusiasm in voters, with turnout of 75.12%. The process of votes counting was
also very transparent. The results were first transferred to constituency
commissions, then forwarded to the Central Electoral Commission and placed on its
internet site. They were processed and a final protocol was drawn up. No reports on
violations of law were submitted to the Central Electoral Commission within three
days after the voting. After that, the Commission gathered for a meeting and
unanimously approved the final protocol.
Foreign observers highly praised the election and described it as a move towards
building of democratic society.
Experts attended the meeting pointed out that the final Protocol of the Central
Electoral Commission had been compiled in full compliance with the Election Code.
After that Chairman of the Constitutional Court Farkhad Abdullayev read out a
resolution on approval and official announcing of the results of the elections.
The resolution reads that “the results of the October 15, 2008 election of the
President of the Azerbaijan Republic reflected in the Protocol of the Central
Electoral Commission of the Azerbaijan Republic of October 19, 2008, shall be
approved.
Candidate to the Presidency of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev
shall be declared the President-elect of the Azerbaijan Republic.
The Resolution of the Constitutional Court is effective from the day it is adopted
and cannot be canceled, amended or interpreted by any organ or official.”
Also present at the session were members of the Milli Majlis, Ambassadors of foreign
embassies in Azerbaijan, representatives of international organizations, public and
mass media.