Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
Any attempt to shame Azerbaijan is corruption, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliamentary Committee for International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations Samad Seyidov said at the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg on April 26.
"I am proud to be from Azerbaijan. I think today it is very important to emphasize that any attempt to shame my country, point a finger at my country is the very corruption," he said.
Because, Seyidov stressed, Azerbaijan joined this organization in the name of democratic values.
"If you are looking for corruption, then you need to think about other states. Why only Azerbaijan? Only a month ago at this hall, you applauded Serzh Sargsyan, whom Armenian people ousted two days ago for corruption. I would like to ask those, who argued that Armenia is a very democratic state, that Sargsyan is welcomed by this organization as a democrat representing the Armenian people - where is this Mr. Sargsyan now? Why don't you want to ask these questions yourself? "he said.
Seyidov further reminded that Azerbaijan is in a state of war.
"We lost our territories. We have one million refugees. We joined this organization to find the rule of law here. However, instead of the rule of law we see new terminology. I'm also included in the list of those, who are presented here as corrupt Azerbaijanis. Even when the Investigating Body [ the Independent External Investigation Body (IBAC)] announced that Mr. Seyidov is not linked to corruption, this report mentions my name. It is very difficult to explain to the world why my name is mentioned in this document. This is very unfair," he said.
The MP stressed that Azerbaijan will fight for its dignity, and will win.
"Because we think about freedom, democracy, about those values that do not belong to the Council of Europe, which belong to the world. When I came to the Council of Europe 18 years ago, at the very beginning I said that this is my Council of Europe. Now, I think that it is not. It's your Council of Europe. I do not want to be in such a Council of Europe," he concluded.
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