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“Armenian clan” guides European institutions (PHOTO)

Politics Materials 27 November 2021 09:35 (UTC +04:00)
“Armenian clan” guides European institutions (PHOTO)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 27

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Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) again signed an appeal against Azerbaijan on November 19.

The appeal, signed by 33 MEPs, has been addressed to the intergovernmental organizations, including the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell.

According to the appeal, "the Azerbaijani armed forces on November 16 allegedly launched an offensive along Armenia’s eastern border", "the Azerbaijani armed forces allegedly encroached on Armenia’s territorial integrity".

The authors of the appeal called for the EU to use all levers to suppress the encroachment on Armenia’s territorial integrity.

Those who signed this appeal gave a misconception about Azerbaijan. Describing Azerbaijan as an "aggressor country", they condemned it for violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement dated November 9 (10), 2020, and demanded that "the Azerbaijani armed forces must be immediately and unconditionally withdrawn from the Armenian territory".

https://asbarez.com/33-european-lawmakers-urge-baku-to-withdraw-forces-from-armenia/

This is the first biased appeal spread over the past year by the European Parliament and its members.

The European Parliament has spread several appeals on the topic since the beginning of the second Karabakh war and up till now. None of them differentiates between a real aggressor and a country that was subjected to aggression, or it supported the aggressor and directly or indirectly supported Armenia’s policy.

For example, 120 MEPs spread an appeal in which they classified the terrorists neutralized by the Azerbaijani armed forces on May 4, 2021 as “Armenian detainees”, condemned Azerbaijan in inhuman treatment of “detainees”, appealed to put pressure on Azerbaijan to return “detainees”

https://www.euractiv.com/section/armenia/news/eu-lawmakers-urge-pressure-on-azerbaijan-to-free-armenian-pows/

Following this appeal, the European Parliament signed a similar resolution on May 20.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210517IPR04125/human-rights-chad-haiti-and-armenian-prisoners-of-war-in-azerbaijan

The appeal spread on November 17 by the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the South Caucasus also unequivocally supports Armenia’s aggressive policy. It expresses concern that a customs service is being created in the Azerbaijani border zones and this is presented as “problems on the roads for Armenians crossing Azerbaijani territories”.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/242369/20211117_AZ-AM%20border%20escalation_joint%20statement.pdf

The appeal, signed by 33 MEPs on November 19, is a continuation of the policy being demonstrated over the past year.

In an appeal addressed to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell, a proposal was made to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan.

The European Parliament is not an institution having a monotone policy, most of the member-states cooperate with Azerbaijan at a high level and in a bilateral format. There are relations based on mutual interests and respect.

Why does the European Parliament support Armenia and oppose Azerbaijan? Who promotes the anti-Azerbaijani appeals spread on behalf of the European Parliament?

Despite the document was spread on behalf of the European Parliament, it was signed only by the members of the "EU-Armenia Friendship Group"

Proceeding from the information published on “Armenpress.am” website, which is one of the well-known news websites in Armenia, it is clear how this anti-Azerbaijani appeal, adopted in the European Parliament, appeared and whose initiative it was.

Proceeding from the article prepared by the website on the topic, it was clear that those who signed the appeal accusing Azerbaijan of aggression, spread on November 19, are the members of the "EU-Armenia Friendship Group", represented in the European Parliament.

One of the authors of the appeal is Loucas Fourlas, the head of the “EU-Armenia Friendship Group”. His colleague Lefteris Christoforou, German MP Lars Patrick Berg, Greek MP Eva Kaili and others, in total, 33 people are members of the “EU-Armenia Friendship Group”.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1068692.html?fbclid=IwAR3nwDuAbOzPrQ7sM_jVggk9rlkI3FnXNU6CsUQw1v6ek-NBpVky3LBYLCk

There is another interesting detail in the article. Dashnaktsutyun, as well as the Armenian National Committee of Europe, welcome the appeal of the MEPs (EU-Armenia Friendship Group). The appeal of MEPs differs from the appeal of the European External Action Service (EEAS).

As opposed to the appeal made by EEAS, the MEPs’ appeal openly mentions the aggressor country, the actions of Azerbaijan, which is alleged “aggressor”, are condemned, immediate withdrawal from Armenia’s sovereign territory is demanded.

This reveals the reasons for problems, the anti-Azerbaijani appeals attracting attention in the activity of the European Parliament.

The EU acts in one way, but the European Parliament in a completely different way.

What prompts MEPs to take actions that run counter to the EU’s foreign policy? Is there such a different attitude in relation to other countries?

MEPs are “friends” of Armenian billionaire Kaspar Karampetian, rather than Armenia.

The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD), having spread an appeal on November 19, welcomed the spreading of the anti-Azerbaijani appeal by the MEPs.

https://eafjd.be/33-meps-call-on-the-eu-to-urge-azerbaijan-to-withdraw-forces-from-the-republic-of-armenia/

The appeal, spread on behalf of EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetian, calls for the European External Action Service (EEAS) to pay close attention to the appeal of MEPs and take the necessary steps against Azerbaijan.

Karampetian’s appeal was also published on the internet.

The profiles of each of the MEPs who signed the anti-Azerbaijani appeal were tagged in this publication, spread via Facebook.

If we follow who is tagged on Facebook, it is possible to see that members of the "EU-Armenia Friendship Group" of the European Parliament, that is, each of 33 people who signed the anti-Azerbaijani appeal on behalf of the European Parliament on November 19, are "Facebook friends" of Kaspar Karampetian and each of them "liked" each other

https://www.facebook.com/489125751104715/posts/5368655373151704/?d=n

While considering this issue, other details appear. Kaspar Karampetian has friendly relations with 33 representatives of the European Parliament not only on the internet but there is also real cooperation based on mutual interests, they often meet and coordinate actions (photo 3).

Tactics of using "microstates", marginal groups and financial fraud

Karampetian, who holds the post of EAFJD president, was born in Greece. He has three citizenships (Greece, Luxembourg and Armenia).

But he mainly focuses on Luxembourg and this is not accidental. Despite Luxembourg, which is a microstate, having only four citizens of Armenian origin, Karampetian united them as a community by creating an organization for himself.

While attending various platforms within the country, he created a certain springboard, established necessary relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Luxembourg parliament and gained influence there.

This moment explains the position of Luxembourg towards Azerbaijan. That is why a biased resolution on Karabakh was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg on December 25, 2020.

https://azpost.info/luksemburq-parlamenti-%C9%99dav%C9%99tin-alovlandirilmasinda-maraqlidir/

Becoming famous as a billionaire, oligarch and organizer of a criminal gang, Karampetian then expanded the model applied in Luxembourg to a pan-European scale and was elected president of EAFJD.

The organization headed by him supports the Armenian diaspora and lobbying organizations existing in Europe.

It is not a coincidence that this mission was entrusted to him. While using his capabilities as a billionaire, oligarch and organizer of a criminal gang and using EAFJD, Karampetian "feeds" the "friends of Armenia" in Europe.

Karampetian is among those who created the "criminal-lobby" mechanism, which is considered one of the most effective trends in the world. The main goal of the creation of EAFJD (https://www.eafjd.eu ) is to protect the state interests of Armenia in Europe, to expand the number of "friends of Armenia and Artsakh".

EAFJD coordinates its activity with the Armenian mission to the EU and the diplomatic corps. The activity of the "EU-Armenia Friendship Group" of the European Parliament was resumed on November 9, 2021 (photo 3). Loucas Fourlas, a member of the European Parliament and a friend of Karampetian, was elected head of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group.

“We are confident that the EU-Armenia Friendship Group will come up with initiatives to protect justice in Armenia and Artsakh, to help our people,” Karampetian said while speaking at the event on the occasion of the resumption of the activity of the group. (https://horizonweekly.ca/en/european-parliaments-friendship-group-with-armenia-relaunched/)

An anti-Azerbaijani statement on behalf of the members of the European Parliament appeared 10 days after this speech.

The investigation of this issue clarifies Karampetian's tactics on the “invitation of members of the European Parliament to have friendly relations”. Before Fourlas, Eleni Theocharous was the leader of the "EU-Armenia Friendship Group" in the European Parliament.

Theocharous, like her successor, represented the Greek part of Cyprus in the European Parliament, which is now represented by another member of the group - Lefteris Christoforou (photo 4). It is obvious that Karampetian, besides Luxembourg, has economic and political leverage in Cyprus.

The significant point in Karampetian's career is the tactics of investing in "microstates", gaining influence there and using these states in their own interests and as a springboard for entering the European structures. Moreover, these relations have been stipulated by the factor of the long-term presence of Armenians in Cyprus.

Theocharous is known in her country for dubious activity. She was involved in scandalous events. One of the accusations made by her competitors during the election campaigns in Cyprus is related to the lack of transparency in the sources of funding for her political party.

Moreover, Theocharous, a member of the political group of the European People's Party in the European Parliament, is known for her image as a "speaker financed by interested individuals" and "collaboration with fictitious structures".

Theocharous was declared persona non grata in Albania in 2018 for the statements causing doubt about the territorial integrity of this country. She also visited Karabakh region during the period of its occupation. Theocharous was isolated from the programs of the European Parliament due to this activity (https://ikisahil.az/post/112059-news-112059)

The cooperation of a person with such a negative image as Theocharous with mafioso Karampetyan is not a coincidence. Karampetian presented valuable gifts to Theocharous (photo 2).

Friendship with Karametian contributes to Theocharous’s entire career, helping to get out of all difficult situations. The name of Karampetian is often mentioned in the files prepared by analytical centers about the activity of active gangs in European countries.

There is a special paragraph about Karampetian in the publication titled "The scale and nature of the Armenian gangs"

(https://www.sovranitapopolare.org/2021/05/12/mafia-armena-in-europa/)

According to this publication, Karampetian is the "godfather" of the Armenian criminal group in Belgium.

Karampetian is illegally involved in the diamond business, smuggling colored diamonds to Europe from conflict zones in Africa. Some Karampetian's income was spent to finance the separatist movement in the Karabakh region.

The funds have also been allocated to support radical Armenian organizations in Europe. Karampetian is acting in coordination with the head of another radical Armenian group in Europe, Vartan Sirmakes, who is called the "godfather" of the Armenian criminal group in Switzerland.

Sirmakes, together with watchmaker Franck Muller, created the "Franck Muller" company in 1998, at the same time he is the president of "ArmSwissBank" and Consul General of Armenia in Marseilles.

Karampetian gathered a number of MEPs in the famous Strasbourg restaurant "Le Bartholdi Pub" and presented valuable gifts on March 15, 2017.

As the head of EAFJD, he establishes relations with people in the European Parliament, other international organizations, is engaged in bribery by presenting valuable gifts (photo 2).

Karampetian presented an expensive necklace and other valuable gifts to Theocharous. Afterward, she became the head of the "EU-Armenia Friendship Group".

Why does the European Parliament have weak authority in the EU?

The European Parliament is one of the five institutions of the European Union, that is, its constituent part. Nevertheless, it has very weak authority in the EU.

Head of the Greens/EFA group from Germany, Rebecca Harms, said that the reason is that the European Parliament "does not discuss topics that relate directly to Europe, the problems of Europe", do not pay sufficient attention to the necessary issues.

“The agenda of the European Parliament is formed by lobbying groups, each of which is trying to ensure its own interests,” Harms added. “There is such a famous saying in Germany as "if your grandfather is free and he has nothing to do, send him to the European Parliament".”

“Now it becomes clear that those in the European Parliament do not sleep and do not waste time,” Harms said. “Having reached an agreement with Karampetian, they are experiencing interesting moments. As a result, the European Parliament has become a training ground for lobbying groups.”

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