Details added (first version posted on 10:15)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

The European Parliament has already lost the sense of reality and has become a toy in the hands of various circles, Azerbaijani president's aide for public and political affairs, Ali Hasanov told AzerTAg on Sept. 11.

He was commenting on a resolution earlier adopted by the European Parliament with regard to Azerbaijan.

Hasanov said Azerbaijan is a country pursuing an independent policy, a democratic country, which develops dynamically and enjoys a high international authority.

"Civil society is developing in Azerbaijan, the freedom of expression, speech and information of everybody has been ensured, all the necessary conditions have been created for the work of political parties, non-governmental organizations and the media," said Hasanov.

He added that today Azerbaijan has dozens of political parties, and hundreds of NGOs and media structures operate freely without any obstacles, and the freedom of the Internet is fully secured.

"Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's strong stance implies that at current stage, an independent policy line, a liberal economic system and a strong civil society are the main means to ensure any country's dynamic development," Hasanov further said.

"For this reason exactly, the Azerbaijani state is pursuing a consistent policy to strengthen democratic principles, to further develop the civil society institutions, and to promote their work," said Hasanov.

The presidential aide noted that Azerbaijan's independent policy and important achievements irritate some Islamophobic, pro-Armenian circles in the West, annoying them even more with the lapse of time.

The serial attacks of the European Parliament on Azerbaijan, adopted biased resolutions are also the result of incitement and constant pressure of these circles on this structure, according to the top official.

"Activation of certain externally controlled fractions of the European Parliament on the eve of important events in Azerbaijan and adoption of resolutions reflecting absurd claims against our country with direct participation of Islamophobic leadership of this structure has already become a tradition," said Hasanov.

"Another resolution adopted on the eve of the parliamentary election in Azerbaijan is nothing but a new attempt to undermine the country's international influence by the leadership and the known group of this structure," he added.

"I would like to remind them that Azerbaijan is not a member of the European Union, has no responsibility to this structure, and, therefore, the resolution adopted by the European Parliament is nothing but a piece of paper, like the previous biased documents," said the top official.

Touching upon the claims reflected in the resolution, Hasanov noted that the subjective judgments based on the information from dubious sources can not be taken seriously in any case.

"Just like in any democratic country, the main requirement of the government in Azerbaijan is that no cases of abuse of current freedoms take place in the activity of civil society institutions and that the transparency and the rule of law in this area are ensured," said Hasanov.

"Neither the laws of Azerbaijan, nor the international law provide any special privileges on representatives of any profession, who committed a concrete criminal offense," he further said.

Hasanov added that courts in Azerbaijan, while making decisions, take the requirements of law as a basis, but not the statements and wishes of certain political circles or individuals.

"In Azerbaijan, all the rights are ensured, as well as all the needs - not prohibited by law - of those who have been prosecuted for specific criminal acts, are catered," said Hasanov.

He added that Azerbaijan is in the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights, and the decisions of local courts can be appealed at that instance.

"And therefore the European Parliament, politicizing in a biased form the cases of some individuals, whose specific criminal acts were proved in open court on the basis of facts and witness evidences, is demonstrating by this a disrespect for the rule of law," he said.