Azerbaijan unfazed by Schwabe’s biased criticism Infantile games

In line with his ties to the Armenian diaspora and the broader history of Europe's left-wing movement, Frank Schwabe, a German parliamentarian from the Social Democratic Party, has once again voiced his opposition to Azerbaijan. The member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe posted on the social media platform X: "If Azerbaijan does not send a clear signal and release a significant number of political prisoners, I cannot imagine Azerbaijan returning to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in January."

Once again, it’s the same old story. What’s particularly interesting, however, is that this time the German parliamentarian refrained from using the usual Armenian narratives about "ethnic cleansing" and "prisoners of war." But this is hardly surprising—apparently, promoting tales of "genocide and prisoners of war" is becoming increasingly detached from reality. As a result, Schwabe opted for the most abstract accusation he could find.

It’s worth reminding Schwabe that his own country is currently experiencing a deep economic and political crisis, which, it seems, will lead to even greater popularity of far-right forces. Moreover, the processes unfolding in Germany are naturally affecting the entire European Union, and soon, the old continent may face a severe crisis on all fronts—economic, political, and an identity crisis, among others. The situation will only worsen against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s anticipated policy of disengaging the US from European affairs. But that’s only part of the problem. Trump is highly likely to declare a trade war on Europe, which, in an already tense European economy, could lead to serious upheaval. In these circumstances, right-wing forces will inevitably rise to power. And once they do, the persecution of dissenters will not be far behind.

Therefore, we strongly advise Mr. Schwabe to focus his boundless energy on saving social democracy in Germany and Europe, rather than meddling in a region he clearly knows little about. Of course, this might be difficult, given the fees he likely receives from the Armenian diaspora. But let's leave this dilemma for the European parliamentarian to ponder.

However, Schwabe is not the only voice in Europe, nor in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and Azerbaijan remains committed to constructive cooperation with the organization. This was emphasized by Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Committee on International Relations and Interparliamentary Ties of the Milli Majlis, who spoke to journalists. He reminded them that the developments in PACE were not initiated by Azerbaijan. “They demonstrated a biased approach toward Azerbaijan,” the MP emphasized, noting that the Council of Europe is not limited to PACE. “There is the Committee of Ministers, the European Court of Human Rights, and other institutions. It is encouraging that the Secretary General of the Council of Europe is in Azerbaijan (Alain Berset arrived in Baku to participate in COP29 – Ed.). The sooner they realize that they are misusing the shared values within the organization to pressure countries and take biased actions against them, the sooner the crisis in PACE can be resolved,” he said.

According to the MP, Azerbaijan is ready to cooperate with all international organizations. "But only on the condition of ensuring our national interests and based on mutual respect. These are very simple principles," Seyidov concluded.

The Azerbaijani deputy's words serve as a reminder that Azerbaijan will not surrender any part of its sovereignty or compromise its interests for the sake of the illusory prestige of being part of some European organization.

The attacks by European institutions against Azerbaijan, amidst the acute crises currently unfolding in Europe and those expected in the near future, reflect the short-sightedness and even the childish mentality of certain circles within the European establishment. Brussels and Strasbourg should, on the contrary, develop an effective model of dialogue with countries that do not blindly trust European illusions but wish to build relationships based on mutual respect.