Azerbaijan bans entry for Russian MP Nikolai Valuev following offensive remarks

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada announced that the Russian MP Nikolai Valuev has been banned from entering Azerbaijan’s territory as a measure for his offensive statements against the country amidst the closure of “Russian House” in Baku.

“The offensive statements against Azerbaijan and our people made by Nikolai Valuev, the First Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, and his threatening remarks against our country are absolutely unacceptable,” Hajizada said, Caliber.Az reports.

The diplomat continued, explaining that as a result of these statements, Valuev's name has been added to the list of individuals banned from entering Azerbaijan, with the corresponding entry ban now in effect.

"Overall, we would like to state that this is not the first case of members of the Russian State Duma being included in the list of 'personae non gratae’. Previously, as an example, Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the CIS Affairs Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, and Vitaly Milonov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Family Protection, who have acted against Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, were also included in the relevant list as 'personae non gratae' in Azerbaijan,”

Hajizada regretted that all of these MPs who have acted against Azerbaijan, are members of Russia's ruling party, “Yedinaya Rossiya” (United Russia).

“Appropriate steps will continue to be taken within the framework of our country's legislation against individuals who act against the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and people of Azerbaijan,” the spokesman added.

To recall, last week,while speaking on the issue of the closure of the Russian information and cultural center, “Russian House,” which is the representative office of the “Rossotrudnichestvo” agency in Azerbaijan, Russian State Duma member Nikolai Valuev voiced offensive statements against Azerbaijan and its people.  Valuev made threats about closing Azerbaijani diaspora organizations in Russia, restricting businesses, deporting Azerbaijanis who are illegally residing in the country, as well as placing those legally residing on military duty and sending them to the front.

By Khagan Isayev