Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, commenting for Vestnik Kavkaza on the European Parliament’s anti-Azerbaijan resolution, stressed that the MEPs’ approach is unacceptable - toward Azerbaijan, Russia, and many other countries.
Responding to a request from Vestnik Kavkaza, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova backed the decision of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis to suspend cooperation with the European Parliament following the anti-Azerbaijan resolution adopted by the EP on 30 April.
“Baku’s decision to cut off all contact with the so-called European Parliament comes as no surprise. The fact is that it is not only Azerbaijan that faces boorishness, disrespect and direct interference by this body in the internal affairs of sovereign states. The resolutions - anti-scientific, not merely politicised but outright fake – are churned out endlessly by this structure like a broken printer. The language of these resolutions toward third countries is predominantly an arrogant, lecturing tone, as if some metropolis were talking to its colonies,” Maria Zakharova said.
“The European Parliament has long turned into a mouthpiece for Brussels’ ultra-liberal agenda. It has nothing to do with democracy and is anti-democratic at its core. Lately we have seen this platform increasingly turn into one of Europe’s key hubs for stoking phobias and aggression, spreading fake news, suppressing free speech, and falsifying and manipulating history under the pretext of protecting and supposedly ensuring the sustainability of democracy. They should be made to explain at least once what exactly they understand by democracy, because it has nothing to do with the expression of the people’s will or rule by the people,” the diplomat noted.
“Indicative in this context is the crisis of trust in the European Parliament’s actions within the European Union itself. It is no secret that political technologies are widely used in Europe to allow European ‘people’s representatives’ to unceremoniously ignore the opinion of EU citizens themselves. People in EU countries are trying to defend values that are important to them, while the European Parliament is taking everything in a completely different direction, ignoring and openly spitting on the needs of the citizens who vote for those sitting in the European Parliament,” the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman pointed out.
“EU citizens are increasingly voting for conservative sentiments or views. Nationally oriented forces that declare an interest in building more respectful relations in Europe, on the European continent and with the global majority are trying to push their representatives into the European Parliament. Largely because of this they are not allowed to take up leadership posts in the EP,” she said.
The diplomat added that Russia supports constructive engagement with the EU. “We understand that Baku continues its dialogue with other European structures and has the sovereign right to do so. The visit to Baku by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas on 5 May - that too is the sovereign right of any state,” Maria Zakharova concluded.
