Opposition news

OPPOSITION LEADER INVITED TO GERMANY

Chairman of the Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan (PNIA) Etibar Mammadov is going to participate in an executive meeting of the World Democratic Union on December 2 and the 14th congress of Germany's Christian Democratic Union Party (CDUP). He is expected to leave for Dresden Saturday.

E. Mammadov will discuss cooperation issues and hold inter-party meetings, the PNIA press-service told AssA-Irada Friday. The party views the invitation by CDUP as its desire to strengthen international support on the threshold of parliamentary elections in Germany due next year.

ELCHIBAY's REMEMBRANCE PARTY FAILS

Deputy chairman of the Union of Intellectuals Aqil Samadbayli told a news conference Friday that the Union had obtained sanction to hold the remembrance party of the leader of Azerbaijan's National Liberation Movement, ex-president Abulfaz Elchibay, at the Azerbaijan Drama Theater Thursday. However, those who came to commemorate the late leader were not let in, saying there was no light inside. Moreover, a team of policemen suddenly appeared in the site and started beating the people outside the building and took some of them to police precincts. Among the injured were MP Jamil Hasanli and renowned intellectuals. The detained were released three hours later. Police explained the assault with the information they had received on a possible unsanctioned rally of the Civil Solidarity Party on Fuzuli Square.

The Union has addressed the Caucasus Muslim Board to condemn those who resorted to violence in the holy month of Ramadan. The Union pledged to push ahead with the remembrance party and said its exact date would be announced later.

DEMCONGRESS-2 PUSHES FOR VULNERABLE RELIEF

Democratic Congress-2 held a roundtable dedicated to the repeal of social privileges Thursday with the participation of MPs, economists and leaders of political parties and public organizations.

MP Ali Karimov said that all the privileges some 50 laws envisioned were being voided. The rise in the budget funds earmarked as compensation for the social privileges from AZM145 billion to AZM170 billion was possible due to opposition MPs in parliament, he indicated.

Speakers stressed that the decision to reverse the privileges, especially for invalids and families of martyrs, was mistaken.

The roundtable issued a statement demanding that some privileges for Garabagh war invalids be kept valid, the compensation volume reconsidered and more funds sought.

RALLY SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 22

The United Rally Committee approved the date and route for a rally to free Garabagh at the headquarters of the Garabagh Liberation Organization Tuesday. The rally is scheduled for December 22.

In an address to the Mayor's office, the Committee indicates two itineraries, the former from the 20 January subway station to the Galaba cinema and the latter from Fuzuli Square to the Republican Palace.

22 political parties and organizations, including Musavat, PNIA, ASDP, Adalat, Islamic Party, etc., are expected to take part in the rally.

PFPA CLASSICS PICKET CIVIL SOLIDARITY PARTY

Some fifty members of the PFPA classical wing picketed another opposition Civil Solidarity Party (CSP) Wednesday after the "Civil Solidarity" newspaper published an article insulting the memory of the late chairman of the party, Abulfaz Elchibay.

The resolution of the picket demands that CSP chairman Sabir Rustamkhanli apologize to all the supporters of Elchibay. The picketers were informed that the CSP chairman had taken the article very negatively, firing all the staff of the newspaper, and already apologized to the family and supporters of Elchibay.

IDU ADOPTS THREE AMENDMENTS ON PNIA INSISTENCE

Chairman of the Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan (PNIA) Etibar Mammadov took part in an executive meeting of the International Democratic Union in Dresden, Germany, as it adopted three articles for the meeting's statement on the PNIA insistent proposals, the party said in a statement Monday.

The amendments include the indication of separatism alongside with religious and political ideology as reasons for terror in the section of joint combat against terrorism, a call not to pardon convicted terrorists and information on the transgressions of the property law in Azerbaijan and the obstacles for private business in the section of the human and economic freedom. This is used as a lever of prosecution against the opposition, the party said.

The next meeting of the Union is scheduled for 2002 in Washington. The PNIA is expected to devise documents of the upcoming gathering on the relations between the Western and Muslim nations.

PFPA LEADER, MP INVITES AZERI NATIONALIST IN IRAN

Chairman of the PFPA reform wing, MP, Professor Jamil Hasanli has sent a message to professor of Tabriz University, the leader of the South Azerbaijan National Liberation Movement Dr. Mahmudali Chehraganli. In his letter, the Azeri parliamentarian invites the South Azeri scholar to Baku, the party said Monday.