BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 18. The First Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy and State Building Ali Huseynli has met with representatives of the OSCE Needs Assessment Mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) Martina Barker Chiganikova and Goran Petrov visiting Azerbaijan, the press and public relations department of the parliament told TurkicWorld.

The first vice speaker, welcoming the guests, briefed them on the political climate in the country and the recently adopted laws on "Media" and "Political parties".

Huseynli stated that having an early presidential election is a historical imperative. He underlined that Azerbaijan's Electoral Code was introduced more than 20 years ago and has been improved over time.

He also emphasized the country's compliance with ODIHR guidelines and the fact that the present Electoral Code adequately allows for the conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections.

The MP went on to say that the election will be held on the entire sovereign territory of independent Azerbaijan for the first time.

Petrov expressed gratitude for the meeting and stated that the visit's goal is to submit a report after studying the pre-election scenario and the electoral climate.

Huseynli supplied information on the election process and legal topics of importance to the OSCE/ODIHR team assessing needs.

On the same day, members of political parties represented in the Azerbaijani parliament also met with Chiganikova and Petrov.

The meeting involved representatives of political parties, including the Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament, the Chairman of the Parliament's Committee on Public Associations and Religious Organizations, member of the Civil Solidarity Party Fazail Ibrahimli, member of the New Azerbaijan Party Hikmet Mammadov, Chairman of the Civil Solidarity Party Sabir Rustamkhanli, Chairman of the Great Creation Party Fazil Mustafa, Chairman of the National Front of United Azerbaijan Party Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Chairman of the National Front Party Razi Nurullayev, Chairman of the Democratic Reforms Party of Azerbaijan Asim Mollazade, Chairman of the Party of Democratic Enlightenment of Azerbaijan Elshan Musayev, member of the Republican Alternative Party Erkin Gadirli, and Chairman of the Vahdat Party Tahir Karimli.

The MPs noted that, for the first time after the 2020 second Karabakh war that ended almost 30 years of Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands, the early presidential election scheduled for the next year will take place on the entire territory of Azerbaijan.

It was emphasized that the candidacies of the participating party leaders in the meeting - Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Fazil Mustafa, and Razi Nurullayev - are nominated for participation in the upcoming early presidential election.

Answering questions from the OSCE/ODIHR mission representatives about the early presidential election in Azerbaijan, the MPs noted that the announcement of the early presidential election is in line with the Constitution of Azerbaijan.

They informed about the preparation for the electoral process, the campaign, the registration of candidates, as well as the establishment of electoral districts and polling stations in the liberated territories.

In the conclusion of the meeting, Fazail Ibrahimli expressed confidence in the free, fair, and transparent conduct of the election.

The early presidential election in Azerbaijan will be held on February 7, 2024.