President of the European Commission Martin Schulz used the ceremony of the Sakharov Freedom of Thought Prize in Strasbourg for public criticism of other countries. One of his targets was Azerbaijan. Schulz demanded the immediate release of human rights activist Leyla Yunus (who was one of the candidates for the Freedom of Thought Prize with Denis Mukwege, a gynaecologist from Congo, and Maidan activists).
Nowruz Mamedov, deputy head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, criticized Schulz, describing his human rights efforts as fake. He reminded that the European Commission head had said nothing about the occupation of Azerbaijani territories that had resulted in hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Alexander Gusev, the head of the Center for Strategic Development of CIS Countries at the RAS Institute of Europe, the director of the Institute for Strategic Planning and Forecasting, said that Martin Schulz had been expressing his personal opinion about the post-Soviet space. Gusev said that Schulz was following Washington’s vector. Moreover, the expert reminded that Schulz is not a big fan of Russia and the post-Soviet space as a whole. He has always been cold towards the formation of the Customs Union and the EaEU.
Gusev added that Schulz and the European Parliament could not really affect Russia, so any of their words, including speeches by EEAS head Federica Morgherini, should only be viewed as political pressure.
Gusev reminded that the European Parliament had a consolidating function in the EU. The European Council, the European Parliament and the European Court were supranational structures determining EU policy, he noted. Overall, Gusev said that the European Commission and the European Parliament were in cahoots with the U.S., President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
President of the European Commission Martin Schulz used the ceremony of Sakharov Freedom of Thought Prize in Strasburg for public criticism of other countries. One of his targets was Azerbaijan. Schulz demanded immediate release of human rights activist Leyla Yunus (who was one of the candidates for the Freedom of Thought Prize with Denis Mukwege, a gynecologist from Congo, and Maidan activists).Nowruz Mamedov, deputy head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, criticized Schulz, calling his human rights efforts fake. He reminded that the European Commission head had said nothing about occupation of Azerbaijani territories that had resulted in hundreds of thousands of refugees.Alexander Gusev, the head of the Center for Strategic Development of CIS Countries at the RAS Institute of Europe, the director of the Institute for Strategic Planning and Forecasting, said that Martin Schulz had been expressing his personal opinion about the post-Soviet space. Gusev said that Schulz was following Washington’s vector. Moreover, the expert reminded that Schulz is not a big fan of Russia and the post-Soviet space as a whole. He has always been cold towards the formation of the Customs Union and the EaEU.Gusev added that Schulz and the European Parliament could not really affect Russia, so any of their words, including speeches of EEAS Head Federica Morgherini, should only be viewed as political pressure.Gusev reminded that the European Parliament had a consolidating function in the EU. Actions of the EU are determine by the European Council, European Parliament and the European Court were supranational structures determining EU policy, he noted. Overall, Gusev said that the European Commission and the European Parliament were in cahoots with the U.S., President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Bid
