The Azerbaijani Parliament has suspended relations with the European Parliament.

Parliamentarians decided to suspend all ties between the Milli Majlis and the European Parliament after the European Parliament adopted a resolution affirming the right of return of Armenians to Karabakh and demanding the release of Armenian prisoners of war. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry handed a note of protest to the EU Ambassador.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on September 19-20, 2023, Azerbaijan conducted large-scale military operations and took control of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which began a mass exodus of the Armenian population. By October 7, 2023, 100,632 internally displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh had arrived in Armenia, and by September 2024, only 14 Armenians remained in the region. The "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report entitled "The Beginning and End of the Unrecognized Republic of Artsakh".

Parliamentarians Suspend All Cooperation with the European Parliament

Azerbaijan is suspending cooperation with the European Parliament. The decision to do so was made at a plenary session of the Milli Majlis, Report reports.

According to the decision, all areas of cooperation between the Milli Majlis and the European Parliament are suspended. The Parliament's participation in the activities of the European Union-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee is also terminated.

In accordance with the Statute of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, the procedural rules for terminating the Milli Majlis's membership in this organization are being implemented, and during the procedural period, the Milli Majlis delegation will not participate in Euronest Parliamentary Assembly events.

EU Ambassador handed a note of protest

On May 1, the European Union Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Marijana Kujundzic, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the meeting, the unfounded and biased provisions against our country contained in the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on April 30 were strongly condemned, and a note of protest was handed to the ambassador in this regard, AzerTag reports.

The ministry stated that the provisions of the said resolution distort reality, contradict the principles of objectivity, as well as the obligations to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

The allegations put forward in the resolution regarding the return of Armenian residents to the Karabakh region are completely unfounded, and such calls are in the nature of interference in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan.

In particular, the EU ambassador was told that "despite the reintegration plan presented in 2023 in accordance with the Constitution of Azerbaijan, Armenian residents left the region voluntarily, and statements claiming the opposite are erroneous," the agency said. message.

Calls for the release of persons of Armenian descent, presented as "prisoners of war," are also legally unacceptable, the Foreign Ministry stated, noting that "the persons sentenced have committed a number of serious crimes, including terrorism, sabotage, and war crimes."

22:00 18.04.2026

Historians and activists call on Armenian authorities to oppose the destruction of cultural heritage in Karabakh

Armenian authorities must oppose the destruction of Armenian cultural and historical heritage in Karabakh and draw the attention of international organizations to its fate, activists and historians said on International Heritage Day.

It was emphasized that allegations of "destruction of cultural and religious heritage" are completely unfounded and unacceptable. At the same time, the ambassador was informed that the large-scale destruction and desecration of Azerbaijan's cultural and religious heritage have not received due attention from European institutions.

At the meeting, the European Union representative was asked to refrain from such steps, which are detrimental to relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union, as well as to the peace and normalization process in the region.

The European Parliament emphasized the right of return of Armenians to Karabakh

At a plenary session of the European Parliament, a vote was taken on a resolution on Armenia, which reaffirms the EU's support for the country's democratic development, the peace process, and reforms towards European integration.

The resolution condemns the detention of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan and demands their immediate release, Armenpress reports.

Any sustainable peace must be based on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders. The European Parliament reaffirmed its support for the rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the protection of their identity, property, and cultural heritage, as well as their right to safe, unhindered, and dignified return under appropriate international guarantees.

The EP called for those responsible for the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage to be held accountable, as well as for the establishment of an international assessment mission, Golos Armenii reports.

As a reminder, on February 17, the Baku Military Court sentenced Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison. The defendant, who headed the Karabakh government for several months during the blockade of the Lachin corridor, was found guilty of war crimes. Vardanyan declined to appeal, explaining that he does not recognize the verdict as an act of justice.

Ruben Vardanyan only announced in September 2022 his decision to renounce his Russian citizenship and move to Nagorno-Karabakh to support local residents who were "in a grave psychological state." In October 2022, Vardanyan agreed to head the government, and became State Minister on November 4, 2022. However, on February 23, 2023, Vardanyan was dismissed after serving as State Minister for less than four months. During this period, Vardanyan was forced to seek solutions to the problems faced by the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh due to the blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

Later, in the Baku court, Vardanyan's defense pointed out that the prosecution accused him of events that occurred, in part, many years before his arrival in Karabakh. Azerbaijani citizens recognized as victims also testified to this in court. In particular, they spoke about shelling in the Kelbajar region, which came under Baku's control back in 2020, and in the Zangilan region, which was also occupied by Azerbaijan in 2020.

The same court, since January 2025, has been hearing the case of 15 former leaders and residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, detained in September-October 2023. They were charged under 20 articles of the Criminal Code, including war crimes. All the defendants pleaded not guilty, but on February 5, the court sentenced them to life and other long-term prison terms. The "Caucasian Knot" has prepared reports entitled "Highlights of the Sentences of Former Nagorno-Karabakh Leaders" and "Vardanyan and 15 Karabakh Leaders: Highlights of the Baku Courts".