2 reports on Azerbaijan will be discussed in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to-be-launched on October 9, informs Vice President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the head of PACE delegation, Arpine Hovhannisyan.
The first report on Azerbaijan will be discussed within the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. The issue concerns one of Azerbaijan’s best lobbyists, Belgian delegate, Alain Destexhe. His name is mentioned within the frameworks of the famous corruption scandal, labeled as “Azerbaijani Laundromat”. He is the author of the report entitled “Azerbaijani presidency in the Council of Europe”.
The second report concerning Azerbaijan will be discussed within the Monitoring Committee. The report refers to the implementation of overall monitoring responsibilities by Azerbaijan. “An interesting discussion has evolved in the Monitoring Committee, the co-author of the report, Stefan Schennach has suggested visiting Baku and making additions to that report. Let us see what additions he represents. In any case, a provision has passed in the Monitoring Committee as well, relative to Azerbaijan’s corruption scandal, whereby the Assembly expresses its concern over that issue and urges to discuss”, Arpine Hovhannisyan gave details.
She reminded that the investigation body conducting operations based on corruption announcements has started its operation, the delegates have represented the documents, we will see the results in the near future: “But this body has already confirmed also the rules of its operation via secret regime in Bureau.”
Arpine Hovhannisyan also told that Armenian new delegation in PACE will not limit itself by defense strategy as it was back then: “You cannot try to fully integrate yourself into pan-European agenda when you have such enemy as Azerbaijan and such lobbyists as Azerbaijan’s. We will implement some changes respective to my vision, if the delegation agrees.”
Nelly GRIGORYAN
