No Hug at Eurovision Without Orders from Azerbaijan’s Leadership: Lapshin

The victory of the young singer Malena at the "Junior Eurovision" song contest is fervently discussed in Armenia, especially the photo where she hugs an Azerbaijani participant. Many are writing that this is a provocation and an artificially imposed peace game while Baku continues its aggression, murders, abductions, looting, and destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh. Others argue that there is no alternative to peace," writes blogger Alexander Lapshin on his Facebook page.

"My opinion on all of this is that we should learn to, as the Jews say, 'separate the meat from the milk.' Would I accept an Arab considering the long-standing Arab-Israeli conflict? I've done it more than once without any issues. If the person is normal, and they are my friend, then why not? But that does not mean that by hugging an Arab, I would support the Islamists in Syria or the dictators in Sudan and Pakistan. My emotions are directed towards a specific person and have nothing to do with politics. Today we embraced, and tomorrow we might meet on the battlefield and probably turn our wives into widows. Is this normal?" writes Lapshin.

"Of course, there would have been no hugging at 'Eurovision' without orders from Azerbaijan’s leadership. This is a trial balloon: the public reaction in Armenia and Azerbaijan is being tested. To avoid negative reactions from Azerbaijanis, all media outlets in this Muslim state have published articles claiming that the supposed Armenian winner of 'Eurovision' herself requested support from the Azerbaijanis. In simple terms, a regular fake account has been opened in the name of little Malena in Azerbaijan, and according to Baku, the Armenian girl writes from the 'Stepan' account, and indeed, in Azerbaijani. The fingerprints of Aliyev's ignorant propaganda are clearly felt, agree with me. The Aliyev clan does not need peace with Armenia; they only need to weaken patriotic forces in Armenia. That is, they continue to smear the Armenian people and state, looting and killing, abducting and torturing the elderly, while imposing love for Azerbaijan on Armenians. What they couldn't achieve with tanks, they attempt to achieve with propaganda and corrupt schemes.

"Hug an Azerbaijani at Eurovision? Why not? Just learn to separate the 'meat from the milk.' Israel is happy to play love and friendship with Arabs, not forgetting about the constant increase in its military budget, the effective work of special services, and a tough response to any provocations and aggression. There is much to learn. Personally, I have hugged Azerbaijanis a few times in my life; all of them were political emigrants in Europe. I see nothing wrong with that. We have a common enemy—the Aliyev regime; I have nothing to share with these ordinary Azerbaijanis, I harbor no hatred towards them, as they were not the ones who tortured and tormented me in Baku prison, nor are they responsible for the crimes of the Aliyev regime,” writes Alexander Lapshin.