The opposition Azadlig bloc is on the verge of collapse after the Civic Development and Liberal parties suspended their membership today.
This leaves the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Party (PFAP) the sole member of Azadlig.
The Azadlig (Freedom) political bloc was created before the 2005 parliamentary elections by the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Party, Musavat, the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan and the Liberal Party of Azerbaijan. It was the largest opposition bloc contesting the 2005 polls. The Democratic Party and Musavat left the bloc after the elections, Musavat disagreeing with Azadlig's decision to give up the seats it had won in parliament in protest at election irregularities.
The Civic Development and Liberal parties have decided to withdraw from Azadlig now, because of a PFAP decision to work with the Musavat Party again, Liberal Party founder Lala Shovkat told APA news agency today.
However, PFAP officials denied this evening that a decision to form an alliance with Musavat had been taken.
Lala Shovkat told APA that the Liberal Party had long been expecting the PFAP to cooperate with Musavat and would not stand in its way.
"I said that if such a union were created, the Azadlig bloc would automatically be dissolved. I have told [PFAP leader] Ali Karimli many times that the Liberal Party can never unite with Musavat, as Musavat has burnt all its bridges. So I told Ali that he should make up his mind on the issue himself."
She said that over the past year PFAP officials and newspapers close to the party had made clear their interest in uniting with Musavat.
"Time will tell whether or not a new bloc will be created," Lala Shovkat said. "Although the PFAP took this decision, we are not going to talk behind their backs. Our relations are not on that level and I would not like them to be spoiled in future. People should be dignified when they separate. This is a dignified, cultured separation. I will not talk behind their backs."
Earlier in the year, Lala Shovkat said that accusations by Musavat Chairman Isa Gambar that opposition party leaders work for Russia, Iran or the government had damaged hopes of opposition unity.
Unlike Lala Shovkat, Civic Development Party Chairman Ali Aliyev said the PFAP's decision had come as a surprise. "It's also not ethical that we should have heard about this in the press. They should have at least warned us about a decision taken a week ago... Our political links with the PFAP cannot continue. The Azadlig bloc will be officially closed down any day now."
Ali Aliyev told APA that the Civic Development Party and Liberal Party would continue their links. "We intend to contest the elections together. In the next few days we will make a public announcement on the creation of an election bloc."
Sounding more bitter than Lala Shovkat, Aliyev said, "Bearing in mind what the Musavat Party has done since 2005 and everything that it has done recently against the opposition camp, it is clear that we will not cooperate with Musavat. In 2005 the Musavat Party betrayed the principles of the Azadlig bloc."
PFAP-Musavat unity in doubt
PFAP officials today backtracked on an alliance with Musavat.
The deputy chairman of the PFAP, Nuraddin Mammadli, told Novosti-Azerbaijan that the party had not taken a decision on talks with Musavat, retracting his comments earlier in the week that the party had decided to form an alliance with Musavat. "I made a bad mistake," Mammadli said of those comments.
PFAP Deputy Chairman Fuad Gahramanli told Novosti-Azerbaijan that the council of chairmen of the Azadlig bloc would meet at the end of the week to discuss the situation.
"The PFAP has not taken any decision on creating any bloc with Musavat or any other party," Gahramanli said. He confirmed that Nuraddin Mammadli had been the source of the misinformation.
"It's true that a proposal was made to cooperate closely with Musavat. The issue was discussed at a session of the PFAP board but no decision was taken, as the question was dismissed," Gahramanli said.
News.Az
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