According to the Election Code, one-hour “round table” sittings are being organized every day on national TV and Radio. Close (culture palaces) and open (stadiums and squares) places have been given to Presidential contenders to hold meetings with voters.

Some 60 million manats have been allocated to election fund of each contender from state budget. Ministry of Internal Affairs takes into account applies of contenders wishing to get governmental security.

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THE ELECTIONS WILL BE TRANSPARENT

Transparency of voting will be provided on October 15 at all election districts, the number of which exceeds 5 thousand. Representatives of opposition and independent contenders are among members of all election commissions, and CEC among them. Some 7 thousand 500 stationary and 5 thousand movable ballot boxes produced abroad through the mediation of the International Fund of Election Systems (IFES) are locked by one-time plastic lockers.

For fulfillment of monitoring mission, it is enough to submit an apply to the related election commission, two photos and a copy of the passport. Today over 500 citizens have applied for monitoring the elections all over the country at their personal initiative. Registration of such monitors in district election commission is going on. The number of accredited international (foreign) monitors has already reached 900.

There are no limits for coverage of the course of elections in the press. The Presidential contenders, their agents and representatives, monitors, journalist can freely follow the process of printing the voting ballots. The ballots are numbered, and when passing them to district commission and polling stations thy are being registered and their numbers are included into the related acts.

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REGISTRATION OF MASS MEDIA MONITORS

Registration of representatives of local and foreign mass media to monitor the elections is going on. Today, 36 journalists of 13 foreign mass media have been registered. The process of registration is in progress.

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EMBASSY HAS NO RESPONSIBILITIES TO INTERFERE THE WORK OF TV CHANNELS

According to the information received by the Independent press-center from the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Turkey, the article “Responsibility in stopping forgery is carried by Turkey”, published in the Yeni Musavat newspaper of October 6, 2003, reads as if Azerbaijani Embassy in Ankara interfered broadcast of the material about Presidential contender of the Republic of Azerbaijan Isa Gambar on TV channels Habar Turk and TV-8.

Mass media in democratic Turkey take a special place. The Yeni Musavat newspaper should understand that no one could produce any pressure on leaders of both the press and TV channels. This fact is reflected in the Constitution of that country.

Related to well-known interviews on Habar Turk and TV-8 channels, we state that neither Ambassador M. Aliyev no Consul General I. Nabioglu have any responsibility to interfere the work of TV channels’ programs, it is outside their duties.