Azerbaijan’s parliament has adopted a resolution on suspending cooperation with the European Parliament in “all areas” as it accused the legislative body of “continuing its anti-Azerbaijani policy, slander, and smear activities.”
Citing the resolution adopted by the National Assembly on Friday, Azerbaijan’s state news agency Azertac reported that the country’s parliament is “guided by joint activities for the sake of peace, security and sustainable development, and promotes open, sincere and constructive dialogue based on parliamentary values and common interests” in its ties with foreign parliaments and parliamentary organisations.
“Unfortunately, the European Parliament’s destructive position, which denies the aforementioned principles, has become the main obstacle to the development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation relations with this institution,” the resolution said.
It argued that platforms intended for cooperation with the European Parliament, namely the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly, have become an “instrument of pressure, blackmail and gross interference in our country’s internal affairs.”
It noted that despite suspending all relations with the European Parliament in 2015, the National Assembly resumed cooperation based on numerous appeals and promises from the European side.
“Despite this, the European Parliament has not kept its promises and has consistently continued its anti-Azerbaijani policy, slander, and smear activities,” it added.
“Today, the European Parliament, where democratic values have collapsed, corruption and bribery are deeply rooted, and which serves lobby groups and various interest groups, has become a structure where Azerbaijanophobic and Islamophobic thinking is consistently expressed.”
It also accused the European Parliament of hindering the development of Azerbaijan-EU relations, as well as opposing steps taken toward establishing long-term peace and stability in the South Caucasus region and “inciting revanchist forces.”
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