The non-participation of the observation mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in the monitoring of the snap presidential elections in Azerbaijan will not affect the work of the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission in any way. It is generally incompetent to talk about a connection between them or to agree on the latter's refusal to observe the elections.

Ednews informs that ODIHR started its mission in Azerbaijan on December 29 last year. On election day (February 7), more than 200 observers from the ODIHR and about 100 parliamentarians from the OSCE PA will monitor the voting process.

Each organization has its own procedures for setting up its activities. That is why talking about agreed-upon steps is, to put it mildly, enigmatic. When an ordinary deputy of PACE talks about it, it is generally incomprehensible.

German MP Frank Schwabe, who initiated discussions on limiting the powers of the Azerbaijani delegation at PACE, said in an interview with the BBC that Azerbaijan invited OSCE/ODIHR, not PACE, to observe the elections.

In his opinion, the OSCE/ODIHR should not agree to observe the elections without the participation of the PACE mission: "We have an agreement: either we should work together or we should not go to that country. We are currently negotiating with the OSCE regarding this issue."

He added that Azerbaijan preferred to invite the OSCE, leaving PACE aside: "We will not allow this."

A European source familiar with the work of OSCE/ODIHR said that this office is currently working on election observation and determines the number of observers based on the results of the OSCE needs assessment mission.

"The decision regarding the observation of the elections to be held in Azerbaijan has already been made. The number of short-term and long-term observers for the elections to be held in Azerbaijan has also been determined. On election day (February 7), more than 200 observers from the ODIHR and about 100 parliamentarians from the OSCE PA will monitor the voting process. Therefore, such statements of the MP are nothing but provocation, and it shows his incompetence," the source stressed in a statement to Report.