Opposition news

PNIA LEADER OPPOSED TO MOVING

The PNIA chairman Etibar Mammadov has described the government's order to vacate its current headquarters within 5 days as politically motivated.

He added that the move was intended to paralyze the party's work and sow chaos in the opposition "much to the satisfaction of some western powers". He declined to spell out names.

According to him, the party has been based in the building since 1992 and has no outstanding tax arrears. The PNIA chairman said the building being offered instead is totally unfit and the party is not in the intention of moving to it.

E. Mammadov said he had made a counter suggestion to the Ministry for Economic Development - to provide PNIA with the current offices of the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party, which is expected to move to a new office shortly. He also threatened to go to court if the crackdown didn't stop.

The Ministry for Economic Development had ordered the Party to vacate the building at 179 Azadlig Avenue the party occupies because of the expired lease term and the need to use the building for state purposes. Instead, the party has been offered to conclude a lease term for the building at 185 Azadlig Avenue, in Rasulzadeh settlement.

Deputy chairman of the party Ali Aliyev told has Azernews that PNIA regards the government's instruction as another attempt to put pressure on it. He added that talks with the ministry are still underway and the party is not in the intention of leaving the building.

PNIA has been leasing the building, once home to a district communist party committee, since 1991. In the fall of 2000, the government dismantled the fence around the mansion and took over a part of an adjacent park.

MUSAVAT LEADER BLAMES AUTHORITIES FOR CRACKDOWN ON OPPOSITION

Another meeting of the pro-Musavat DemCongress was held Monday, as chairman of Musavat Isa Gambar told journalists afterwards that he views some of the recent developments in the country as negative. He described the sentences of the Shaki street clashes and the war handicapped as too severe.

The Musavat chairman then qualified the closure of ABA private television company as violation of human right for information, the impending deprivation of the National Independence Party of its office as continued crackdown on the opposition.

The next meeting of DemCongress has been scheduled for July 28.

PFPA, ADALAT LEADERS SUPPORT OPPOSITION CO-OP

Chairman of the Adalat Party Ilyas Ismayilov met with the leader of the PFPA reform wing Ali Karimov Monday as the two exchanged views over the developments evolving in the opposition, ways of cooperation, pressure on the PNIA and press, etc. Both politicians highlighted the importance of cooperation among opposition forces.

ADALAT VOICES SOLIDARITY

Chairman of the "Adalat" party Ilyas Ismayilov has issued a statement condemning the authorities for trying to take over the National Independence Party's headquarters. He described the action as politically motivated and aimed to restrict the activities of all parties.

Mr. Ismayilov calls upon all democratic forces to respond to the regime's intention as the same means of pressure could be applied in regard to other parties as well.

INSTITUTE OF POLITICAL PLURALISM STANDS FOR PNIA

The Institute of Political Pluralism has lambasted the authorities for forcing the National Independence Party to vacate its building. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Institute terms the demand as violation of the rights of over 20,000 party members. The statement expresses vehement opposition to the regime's actions and calls for an end to the crackdown on political forces.

President of the Institute Sevil Hamidova said 30 NGOs had already signed the statement. The signature collection campaign is still underway and the completed document will be forwarded to the COE, she said.