“Europe has a clearly important problem of energy security” – responding to Aravot.am’s question “Won’t the signing of the energy cooperation agreement between the EU and Baku and calling Azerbaijan a reliable partner by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, constrain the EU from taking steps against Azerbaijan?”, Fabio Massimo Castaldo, an Italian member of the European Parliament, who arrived in Armenia on a fact-finding mission, said. He added: “My country is 40% dependent on Russian gas, Germany – 60%. A hundred of thousands companies, businesses can fail in just a matter of months, so I am extremely aware of the complexity of the situation.
On the other hand, I do not think that it should make us change our policy or pursue a one that degrades the seriousness of the situation, not only considering the situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan but also taking the Azerbaijani civil society into account, they are victims of their own government. There is no freedom of speech or pluralism in that country. It is something that Europe should not deny and leave unintended. I do not think that declaration was really balanced, diversification of business relations should not block or reduce our commitment towards the defense of human rights as well as solving the conflict and creating pluralism.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
