Azerbaijani Local NGOs to Hold Exit-Poll in Presidential Elections

The Azerbaijani local non-governmental organizations (NGO) will hold exit-poll in the presidential elections. “We intend to hold exit-poll during the upcoming elections and certain works are being done in this regard,” Rauf Zeyni, chairman of the National Forum of NGOs, told Trend News on 1 July.
Changes were made to the legislation regarding NGOs by the Azerbaijani Parliament on 13 June. The local NGOs were allowed holding exit-poll during the elections on the base of the changes.
Zeyni said that the National Forum unites 479 NGOs. “These NGOs have enough experience with regards to elections and we plan to hold exit-poll,” he said.
Maherram Zulfugarli, Head of Election Office of Association of Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan, which combines more than 40 NGOs, told TrendNews that the issue to hold exit-poll is being considered. “However, we have not made a final decision on it,” Zulfugarli said. He said that none of NGOs had power and experience to hold exit-poll independently. “Only separate coalitions of NGOs can hold exit-poll. There are nearly 5,000 polling stations in the country. It is necessary to have facilities, which enable to cover such a number of stations,” he said. /Trend/