Text of report in Azerbaijani newspaper 'Azadlyg' on 6th August
by Laman Aliashrafgyzy entitled "The reactionary bill opens the
floodgates to mass actions"

[Subhead] The opposition says it will resort to political acts
if the laws on municipalities are not democratized
At yesterday's sitting of the MDEER [Movement for
Democratic Elections and Electoral Reform] council of chairmen,
municipalities were the number one issue on the agenda again. A
working group of nine people was set up with a view to working
out proposals to amend both municipality bills. MPs Mirmahmud
Fattayev, Sabir Rustamkhanly and Akif Shahbazov and opposition
party functionaries Panah Huseynov, Alimammad Nuriyev, Arif
Hajiyev, Teyyub Aliyev, Yunus Oguz and Huseyn Naibov were
elected as members of the working group.

Touching on the direction of the amendments, Alimammad
Nuriyev said in a conversation with us that the working group
had worked out proposals on removing reactionary norms,
increasing the number of municipal members, expanding their
authorities, holding the elections under the proportional
system etc. We should remind you that those proposals will be
submitted both to the Milli Majlis [parliament] and to
international organizations. On 7th August, there will be a
joint sitting between the working group and the MDEER
coordination council.

The MDEER council of chairmen has adopted a statement
containing demands for creating a democratic ambience in the
run-up to the elections, democratizing the bills on
municipalities etc. The statement says the opposition will
resort to mass actions if their demands are not met.

Source: 'Azadlyg', Baku, in Azeri 06 Aug 99 p4
BBC Mon TCU 060899 sh/ek