Pressure on the democratic institutions calls a legitimacy of the elections into questions

An American analyst on democracy and international affairs Michael Tkacik urges that pressure on international vote monitors in Azerbaijan ahead of the presidential elections brings a legitimacy of the elections into question.

In an interview with TURAN’s Washington DC correspondent, Professor of University a Texas-based town Austin Mr. Tkacik described the possible outcomes of growing pressure against the OSCE and NDI in Azerbaijan.

“These organizations are playing a key role in supporting of human rights, democracy, and in building civil society.

OSCE arose out of the Helsinki process, which recognized that human rights are more than an internal affair. Without this understanding of universal human rights, the state is free to abuse its citizens without limit”, – he stated.

“ To reject the OSCE is to reject these values: NDI is more specifically about promoting free and fair elections. To reject the NDI is meant to reject democracy. To reject both of these organizations six months before major elections raises a question as to the legitimacy of these elections”, – Tkacik emphasized.

“Beyond this, the move raises other question: If government is afraid of the OSCE and NDI, which have no enforcement powers, what is left? Why would a government be so fearful of transparency unless it has something to hide? It opens the door not just to the unfair elections, but to even greater corruption than currently exists”, – indicated analyst.

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