VZCZCXRO2752
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHKB #0981/01 3561157
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221157Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2193
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1541
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3735

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000981 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KDEM AJ
SUBJECT:   AZERBAIJAN: MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN VERY QUIET 
 
REF: BAKU 813, BAKU 924 
 
BAKU 00000981  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Azerbaijan will conduct municipal elections 
December 23.  Embassy Baku will field several teams of election 
observers, mainly in Baku city and immediate regions, but will not 
issue a statement on the free or fair nature of the vote. 
OSCE/ODIHR will not monitor the election.  Campaigning for municipal 
elections began November 25. More than 30,000 candidates, over half 
of which represent the ruling party, have been nominated for 15,682 
seats nationwide.  Opposition leaders have complained about 
registration violations, as well as difficulties and obstructions in 
the campaign.  Average Azerbaijanis do not have a clear notion of 
the role of municipal councils, and few turn to the councils to 
address issues in communities.  Municipal councils generally lack 
proper funding, and in practice have been subordinate to "Excoms," 
or regional governors.  While these elections do not hold the 
significance of next year's parliamentary elections, the municipal 
councils are still an important exercise in democracy for 
Azerbaijan.  End Summary 
 
What Are Municipalities? 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) Azerbaijan initially established 2,757 municipalities 
nationwide, ranging from small rural villages to large city 
districts, for example, in Baku.  Under a new law adopted in 2009, 
the number of municipalities in Azerbaijan was reduced to 1,718. 
The legal basis for municipalities in Azerbaijan was originally 
specified in the 1995 Constitution.  The campaign to establish 
municipalities began only after July 1999, however, when the Law on 
Municipal Elections and the Law on the Status of Municipalities was 
passed.  During this period, the Council of Europe and other Western 
organizations and assistance providers were active in promoting the 
formation of municipalities. 
 
Electing Municipal Councils 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The first municipal elections were held on 12 December 
1999, and the councils commenced activity in January 2000. 
Azerbaijan held last local election in 2004. Depending on the size 
of the population of a given municipality, the municipal councils 
consist of 5 to 19 council members, who are elected for five year 
terms.  After assuming office, municipal councils will meet to elect 
a chairman. 
 
The Campaign for Municipal Councils 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Campaigning for municipal elections in Azerbaijan was 
officially launched on November 25. More than 30,000 candidates have 
been nominated for 15,682 seats.  Almost half of those candidates, 
or 15,388, are candidates officially nominated by the ruling Yeni 
(New) Azerbaijan Party (YAP).  Only YAP members have thus far been 
permitted to use the state media for campaigning, as the ruling 
parties' candidates were registered in more than half of the 
municipalities and thus met a legislative threshold for media 
support.  In practice, this has meant that YAP enjoys the right for 
free air time on public TV station ITV for campaigning.  Opposition 
parties, meanwhile, were not able to unify under a single ticket, 
and have had mixed results registering candidates for the December 
23 vote.  Opposition leaders have complained repeatedly about 
registration violations and glitches (ref b), as well as 
difficulties and obstructions in the campaign, mostly in the 
regions.  Local observers and other third parties so far are noting 
that the campaign in general is lackluster, with little debate and 
low levels of local interest. 
 
A Difficult Relationship with ExComs 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) Municipal councils are technically independent of "ExComs," 
who are local state administrators, appointed by the President or 
his Administration, directly subordinate or accountable to the 
central government.   While ExComs govern the regions as a whole - 
somewhat similar to a governor - they do not officially have 
authority over or responsibility for municipal councils.  Rather, 
the municipal councils, at least according to Azerbaijani law and 
regulation, report directly to the central government.  Lines of 
authority, however, are unclear, and may depend on personalities. 
Azerbaijan's Constitution, as well as secondary laws, defines 
municipalities as bodies for local self-government.  In practice, 
however, the municipal councils lack a complete legal framework and 
proper funding.  De facto they have been subordinate to Excoms. 
 
But What Do They Do? 
-------------------- 
 
BAKU 00000981  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Average Azerbaijanis do not seem to have a clear notion of 
the role of municipal councils, and few turn to the councils to 
address problems and issues in communities.  In some cases, citizens 
have asked council members to fix roads and address other communal 
needs, but results are seldom seen.  Rather, Azerbaijanis report 
that council members complain of a lack of funding, and at times 
suggest that only ExComs have the resources and political might to 
tackle these issues.  In some cases, Azerbaijanis have also 
complained that, in the past, council members have foregone official 
duties to engage in land speculation, which could be lucrative. 
 
Outlook for Elections 
--------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) While these elections do not hold the significance of last 
year's president election, the March 2009 referendum on 
constitutional changes, or next year's parliamentary elections, the 
municipal councils are an important test of democracy in Azerbaijan. 
 The Central Election Commission has noted to the Embassy on 
multiple occasions the complexity of these elections, with so many 
municipalities scattered across the country and so many candidates 
to register and campaign.  Overall enthusiasm for the elections has 
been hard to find, and voter turnout, unless manipulated, may be 
light.  The Government has declared December 23 a national holiday, 
in part to boost recognition of the municipal elections.  Embassy 
Baku will field several teams of election observers, mainly in Baku 
city and immediate regions.  The Embassy will cooperate with other 
bilateral missions in Baku to generally access the mood and 
atmosphere of the elections, but will not issue a statement on the 
free or fair nature of the vote.  OSCE/ODIHR will not monitor the 
election.