BY APPO JABARIAN
EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER / MANAGING EDITOR
USA ARMENIAN LIFE MAGAZINE (English-language edition)
HYE KIANK ARMENIAN WEEKLY (Armenian-language edition)
Wednesday October 18, 2017
Today USA Armenian Life Magazine was alerted by a colleague and a friend of Armenians about the imminent visit to Los Angeles by a member of the corrupt Hungarian government that has collaborated with the criminal regime in Baku, Azerbaijan in freeing Azeri Axe-Murderer Ramil Safarov under the cover of extradition.
In 2004, Azeri army officer Safarov murdered Armenian army lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest. The two were in Hungary participating in a NATO-sponsored language program. One night, Safarov walked into Margaryan’s dormitory and hacked him to death with an axe.
In April 2006, a Hungarian court found Safarov guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced him to life in prison. Safarov’s lawyers lost an appeal one year later.
In 2012, the Orban government of Hungary allowed Safarov to be extradited to Azerbaijan. Upon arriving there, Safarov received a pardon from President Aliyev. He was even declared a national hero, and received a promotion.
The Orban government’s move to extradite Safarov angered world Armenians; generated outcry from Hungarians, foreign governments, and rights groups around the world; and prompted Armenia to cut diplomatic ties with Hungary.
Reportedly, the Safarov affair was masterminded by Viktor Orbán, the prime minister, and Péter Szijjártó, then minister for external economic relations.
Hungary’s decision to allow the extradition – despite the severity of the crime and the known hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia – left many puzzled about the real motivation.
Back in Sept. 2012, thousands of Hungarians protested in Budapest against the Orban government’s decision to ‘sell’ then incarcerated Safarov back to Baku.
The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) condemned the use of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons by Azerbaijan to release and pardon of convicted Azeri criminal Safarov after his transfer to Azerbaijan from prison in. The PACE resolution, based on a report by Christopher Chope (United Kingdom, European Democrat Group) and adopted by the Standing Committee, called the use of the treaty by Azerbaijan “a violation of the principles of good faith in international relations and of the rule of law.”
Recently, a series of articles released as part of the Azerbaijani Laundromat, “an international investigative journalism collaboration, uncovered highly suspicious transfers of millions of dollars to Hungary at the time of Safarov’s extradition — all from a slush fund connected to the Azeri political elite.”
Operating under the watchful eyes of the corrupt Orban government in Hungary, the Hungarian law enforcement authorities adamantly refuse to investigate the transfers.
The Budapest Beacon’s Benjamin Novak has written about both Azerbaijani ‘Laundromats’ here:
Mr. Novak has interviewed Member of European Parliament Frank Engel about the extradition of Safarov here:
A few hours ago, it was brought to USA Armenian Life Magazine’s attention that “the United Hungarian House of Los Angeles, an organization with deep ties to the Orban government, will be hosting a ranking government minister at their headquarters on Sunday, October 22, 2017. According to the source, the Sunday event will be held at 5pm at the United Hungarian House, located on 1975 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018.”
Soon after receiving the alert, USA Armenian Life contacted United Hungarian House to independently verify the minister’s attendance as well as the date and time of event. A member who answered the telephone inquiry confirmed saying “Yes, Minister Kósa will be coming and joining this Sunday’s 5 PM event” at the address listed in the middle of this paragraph. Entrance fee is $5 per person.
Minister Lajos Kósa, born March 14, 1964, is a Hungarian economist and politician, who served as Mayor of Debrecen between 1998 and 2014. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1990. Kósa was appointed one of the four Vice Presidents of the party in 2007. He also secured an individual mandate during the parliamentary election in 2010. He was nominated First or Managing Vice President of Fidesz, after Party President Viktor Orbán was appointed Prime Minister of Hungary on May 14, 2010.
He was appointed leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group in October 2015. He became minister without portfolio responsible for the Modern Cities Program during same month.
Mr. Kosa currently is Vice President of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party — the autocratic and notoriously corrupt government that has ruled Hungary since 2010.
He will be in Los Angeles to officiate a celebration of Hungary’s failed 1956 rebellion against the occupying Soviets. The celebration is being hosted together with Hungary’s Consul General in Los Angeles.
As if Safarov’s nefarious handover by Hungary to Azerbaijan five years ago wasn’t enough insult, now a Hungarian government official has the gully to visit Los Angeles.
Hungary’s corrupt government officials, despotic and criminal Aliyev regime in Baku and Hungarian Consulate in Los Angeles must be reminded that Armenian Americans and their friends have not forgotten about the corruption-riddled extradition of criminal Azerbaijani military officer Safarov.
The morally-bankrupt behavior of Hungarian authorities is disgraceful and continues to bring nothing but shame to all of Europe and civilized world.
No amount of apology can restore any sense of aborted justice felt by the victim’s family and Armenians around the world.
As long as Safarov remains free, world Armenians will be unrelenting in their quest for justice.