“The proposed amendments and additions to the Constitution do not run contrary to any of the powers of the Cabinet of Ministers. So I disagree with the idea that the Cabinet of Ministers is failing to justify itself,” chairman of the Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (WAPFP) MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev said in a statement to APA.
Hasanguliyev does not agree with the argument that the amendments and additions to the Constitution are necessary for development of society. “A constitution that brings development is not changed, but is protected by all means instead. If a law or a constitution gets in the way to development, it is changed.”
According to him, the reason that such an initiative came up only now is the regional and global developments and bloody events.
“We see some countries, even the ones that are close to us, being engulfed in chaos one after another. For example, the situation in Ukraine, a country close to Azerbaijan, is a clear cut. We also see terrorist acts, internal strife, and arrests shaking Turkey since the coup attempt. I think the primary goal behind the proposed amendments and additions is to the constitution is to ensure security and lasting stability in Azerbaijan. For this particular reason, the term of the institute of presidency is going to be prolonged,” he said.
Hasanguliyev said that vice-presidents are not authorized to make decisions.
“Under the current law in Azerbaijan, decisions are made by the Cabinet of Ministers. That is, the Cabinet of Ministers and the prime minister remain in place, and if the first vice president is missing, presidential powers are passed on to the prime minister. Had any of the powers of prime minister been taken away, we could think in a different way. So I think the institute of vice presidents is going to be created in order to strengthen control on different areas. For now, it’s the prime minister who has control over the execution of decisions. The number of ministries in Azerbaijan is extremely high. The Cabinet of Ministers has up to 40 members. Vice presidents will work on presidential instructions or with the president. That will allow the president to get abrupt information, give swifter reactions and make swifter decisions, and have stronger control. Vice presidents will surely be divided into positions,” he said.
He noted that the second factor that necessitates the reforms is the Karabakh problem.
“The way Russia acts as to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem tells us that they now want this problem solved in any form. It’s a bit difficult for me to analyze what they really intent to achieve. Is it possible that Russia truly wants peace in the Caucasus and by this means wants to be known by the world as a peacemaker? If Russia does it without expecting anything in return, it means this country has some plan for the stage to come,” Hasanguliyev stressed, using an old Azerbaijani proverb: “A free piece of cheese could only be on the bait”
The APFP-" title="WAPFP " class="tag-a">WAPFP chairman says it is necessary to strengthen the institute of presidency in order to protect Azerbaijan against any catastrophe.
“In one word, the main factor necessitating the referendum is the bloody and horrible developments raging across the world. On the other hand, there is a need for some real steps to be taken towards the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. In case such a step is taken, either peacefully or militarily, the central government needs strengthening,” he stressed.
As for the APFP-" title="WAPFP " class="tag-a">WAPFP position on state model in Azerbaijan, Hasanguliyev said favors Azerbaijan shifting to the model of parliamentary republic in the future.
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