St petersburg: A meeting of the Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS (IPA CIS) was held in St Petersburg, Russia, with the participation of the Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova. The Press and Public Relations Department of Parliament reported this to APA.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova addressed the gathering, sharing her insights on various topics discussed, particularly focusing on Item 3 of the meeting's agenda. She emphasized the critical role of monitoring elections and referenda within CIS Member Nations, highlighting it as a fundamental function of the Assembly. The Speaker noted that elections are pivotal in shaping a nation's future, and the presence of impartial monitoring missions is crucial in evaluating the transparency and democratic standards of these elections. Gafarova pointed out that the Assembly's monitoring activities are a demonstration of solidarity and mutual support among member countries.

Additionally, she commented on the successful outcomes of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly's international monitoring missions during the extraordinary elections to the Jogorqu Ke±es of the Kyrgyz Republic and the constitutional referendum in Kazakhstan. She expressed satisfaction with the active involvement of Members of the Milli Majlis in these monitoring efforts.

Gafarova also mentioned the role of Deputy Speaker Ziyafet Asgarov, who served as the Coordinator of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly monitoring group during the referendum in Kazakhstan, highlighting this as a point of pride and cooperation.

The meeting also addressed several organizational matters and agenda items, leading to the adoption of relevant decisions.