BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 29. Sverdlovsk Region Governor Yevgeny Kuyvashev apologized to Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu in connection with the scandal with St. Petersburg City Duma Chairman Igor Volodin, who took part in an event against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan Republic, Trend reports referring to the region's information policy department.
Kuyvashev expressed hope that the situation would be resolved.
According to media reports, Volodin will not be the speaker in the new convocation of the City Duma after this scandal.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani Embassy sent a note of protest to the Russian Foreign Ministry in connection with the event organized in St. Petersburg on August 7, 2023 on the occasion of the "30th anniversary of the formation of the Talysh-Mugan Autonomous Republic".
In addition, Ambassador Polad Bulbuloglu addressed a letter to the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region Evgeny Kuyvashev reflecting Azerbaijan's principled position and strong protest. In addition, Shahin Shikhlinski, head of the Azerbaijan-Ural public national-cultural organization operating in St. Petersburg, sent appeals to the relevant administrative bodies of the city.
It was brought to the attention of the Russian side that organization of such an event of provocative nature and participation of the Chairman of St. Petersburg City Duma Igor Volodin as a guest at it is inadmissible, this step of the representative of the ruling party of Russia propagates separatism, fundamentally contradicts the spirit of allied interaction between Azerbaijan and Russia, as well as damages bilateral cooperation.
An urgent request was expressed to take immediate measures against Igor Volodin and the organizers of this event, as well as measures to prevent similar provocative steps against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan in the future.