Metsola to Aliev:  "We will never change the way we work"

Written by journalist Danylo Aleksandrov

On Monday the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev announced, that his country will no longer cooperate with the European Parliament in any projects, accusing the institution of slandering Azerbaijan.

During the European Political Community summit held in Yerevan, Armenia and attended by representatives from EU member states and candidates as well as from neighboring countries Aliev made accusations against the European Parliament. He said that the European institution is spreading lies and slander against Azerbaijan. As a result, his country will cease all cooperation with this EU institution.

This prompted a response from head of EU Parliament Roberta Metsola, who broke the summit agenda to give a reply to Aliev. She said that the institution, which is a democratic one, will not change the way it works, even if it the outcome of its work may be uncomfortable to some.

Previously, before the summit, Azerbaijani President claimed that European MEPs were trying to undermine the peace process between his country and Armenia, which was achieved last year by USA with the aim to end the long conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Aliev also added that in total there are 14 resolutions adopted by European Parliament which are critical of his country, naming it an obsession.

Some of those resolutions mentioned call for rights of Armenians who lived in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region to return to their home after the Azerbaijani takeover in 2023. They also called for protection of rights, property culture and identity of Armenians in the region, at the same time critiquing the military actions of Azerbaijan and its treatment of POWs.

Azerbaijani side calls these resolutions unjust and even hostile, and those that are slowing down the peace process.