“First of all, it is necessary to understand what is happening,” to Aravot. am’s question, why have not all those bribed deputies who took bribes from Azerbaijan and voted against the report he authored on political prisoners in Azerbaijan been held accountable? Christoph Strasser, the former PACE deputy, and rapporteur on the issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, answered.
Let’s remind: in 2013, 125 members of the Assembly voted against the report prepared by former PACE Deputy Christoph Strasser, rapporteur on the issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Only six represented Azerbaijan; the rest were representatives of the European Union and post-Soviet states. A big corruption scandal was revealed on this occasion, how Azerbaijan had bribed the PACE delegates.
Former Council of Europe deputy and PACE member Luca Volonte was sentenced to four years in Milan in 2021 on corruption charges. Christoph Strasser mentioned that during his work years ago, he saw how people changed their minds and said: “We conducted an investigation when all that was over. I was a victim of the corruption process against one of the CE members. When they asked me, I answered that I did not see money in the envelope; I can only say there were many doubts. I saw that invitations were sent to many MPs to go to Azerbaijan, and there were public offers to go to Azerbaijan for a few days of vacation, which were paid for by the Azerbaijani side. Some colleagues accepted those invitations. That was the beginning of corruption for me.”
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Christoph Strasser mentioned that specific facts are needed, and the procedures differ in every country. “I can only say the “I can only say about the facts that I know myself. I had suspicions that something was wrong, but I had no concrete facts at the time. We should not put our finger on one country. We must also look at our countries, we have laws, and we must respect them. And one of the most important laws is not to be corrupt as a politician.”
I had suspicions that something was wrong, but I had no concrete facts at the time. We should not put our finger on one country. We must also look at our countries, we have laws, and we must respect them. And one of the most important laws is not to be corrupt as a politician.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
Strasbourg
