While Efforts Are Made to Ensure the New Parliament's 'Slang' Does Not Differ Much from the Polite Vocabulary of a Finishing School, the EC Condemns Azerbaijan - Naira Zohrabyan

Former MP Naira Zohrabyan wrote on her Facebook page: "While the parliament is in its last breath adopting a bill criminalizing insults, so that the new parliament's 'slang' does not differ much from the polite vocabulary of a finishing school, Maria Kaljurand, the head of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with the South Caucasus, Andrey Kovachev, the European Parliament's rapporteur for Armenia, and Zeljana Zivkov, the rapporteur for Azerbaijan, have adopted a joint statement regarding border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Our partners in the European Parliament condemn the shelling of Armenian positions by Azerbaijan and the incursion of Azerbaijani forces into Armenian territory since May 12. 'We mourn the deaths of three Armenian servicemen on July 28 during clashes with Azerbaijani forces at the border in Gegharkunik region, following reports of shelling of Armenian positions and several villages since early morning, and we express our deepest condolences to their families. Unfortunately, this is just the latest in a series of incidents or provocations over recent months, including violations of the interstate border that started with the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on May 12. The recent clashes along the border with Nakhichevan, where another Armenian soldier was killed, are equally concerning. All forces must withdraw to the positions occupied before May 12 and in accordance with the provisions of the trilateral ceasefire statement. It is crucial to immediately halt provocative rhetoric to de-escalate the situation. In this context, we condemn, in particular, recent statements by Azerbaijani representatives regarding the so-called 'Western Zangezur' and references to the territory of the Republic of Armenia as Azerbaijan's 'ancestral land.' Such statements are extremely irresponsible and threaten to further undermine regional security,' the European parliamentarians’ statement reads.

And while the new parliament is likely to soon compile a catalog of allowable insults, in Brussels, the Armenian Cause office, Armen Ashotyan and I have worked extensively with our colleagues in the European Parliament regarding the tense situation created at the Armenian border and the appetites of the Turkish-Azerbaijani establishment over Zangezur."