Georgia and Azerbaijan will not participate in the 12th plenary session of the EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly set to be held in Yerevan from October 28 to 30.
Levan Makhashvili, Chair of Georgia’s Parliamentary Committee on European Integration, addressed an open letter to EuroNest leadership, explaining the reasons behind Tbilisi’s decision, Sputnik Georgia reported.
The letter claims that certain actions and statements by European Parliament members went beyond the bounds of parliamentary diplomacy and violated the principle of mutual respect. According to Tbilisi, these statements sparked public unrest, radicalization, and violence in Georgia, while recent resolutions and reports ignored the democratic will of the Georgian people.
“We are deeply concerned by the decision to invite certain individuals under the guise of ‘civil society’ to the plenary session, despite their support for declaring elections illegitimate, undermining democratic institutions, and backing recent attempts to overthrow the government in Georgia,” the letter states.
Azerbaijan’s parliamentary delegation also declined to participate, stating that recent documents and declarations adopted within EuroNest contradict Azerbaijan’s national interests and do not contribute to peace efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This was confirmed by Tahir Mirkishili, head of the Azerbaijani delegation to EuroNest, as reported by APA.
He emphasized that their decision is not related to the event being held in Armenia.
“The Milli Majlis has repeatedly voiced its objections. After the August peace meeting in Washington between the Azerbaijani President and the Armenian Prime Minister, the European Parliament’s unconstructive statements once again damaged our delegation’s trust in the potential benefits of cooperation within EuroNest. We have communicated our objections to the Assembly leadership. I reiterate that our decision is not based on the location of the session. Peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia is already a reality, and practical steps are underway to normalize relations,” Mirkishili stated.
The EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly, part of the EU’s Eastern Partnership, will hold its 12th plenary session and related bureau and committee meetings in Yerevan from October 28 to 30.
