Safa Mirzayev: '7 years term of office for Azerbaijani President is an exact period'

Baku. 22 July. REPORT.AZ/ 'Life is very dynamic. Before five years seemed as a lifetime. Now five years pass so quick that you don't feel, as a lot of work to be done, demands are high. This trend occurs in the countries, which have a lot of and prospects for development. That is, works in those countries cannot be completed during three, four or five years'.

Report informs, Head of Milli Majlis Administration Safa Mirzayev said.

He noted that all of these refer to Azerbaijan and therefore, term of office of the president should be extended: 'If someone takes responsibility, then it should be given long period to complete works. I believe that 7 years is an exact period as right direction should be chosen for normal governance. Development is impossible without right direction'.

Commenting on the amendment considering president's authority to dissolve Milli Majlis, S.Mirzayev said that heads of state of many European countries entitled to such right: 'If parliament becomes completely paralyzed, president uses this authority. The problem is that our constitution doesn't envisage any provision in regard with taking any measures during such a situation. For example, a situation may arise that as a result of elections large and small parties wouldn't be able to gather and create a coalition. It is impossible to live in a country with such a parliament for 5 years'. 

S.Mirzayev stressed that so far there was no such a situation in the Azerbaijani parliament, but it is theoretically possible: 'Constitution must define certain way. Therefore, if such a situation ever arises, the Constitution will allow the president to dissolve the parliament.

Some people are critical towards this issue and present it as strengthening of presidential power. All of these are only slanders. Because the grounds mentioned in the proposed amendments are such rare ones that their availability doesn't match with existence of a parliament. In case of these grounds, the parliament must be dissolved. So, I don't see any danger in the proposed changes'.