On April 12, Aykhan Hajizada, the spokesperson of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Baku firmly rejected and condemned the accusations made by Theodoros Rousopoulos, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
In his remarks, Hajizada emphasized that Azerbaijan had shown a willingness for dialogue despite what it considered unjust measures taken against it due to PACE’s overstepping of its authority and violation of the Council of Europe’s Charter. However, he stated that Rousopoulos, Frank Schwabe, and others continued to challenge Azerbaijan’s legitimate stance, which is grounded in international law.
Hajizada noted that, over the years, PACE’s approach had caused justified discontent among the Azerbaijani public, describing its policies as rooted in double standards. He called the labeling of Azerbaijan’s leader as a "dictator" both unacceptable and politically ignorant, and described the current atmosphere in PACE as "hysterical," attributing it to the leadership of what he referred to as "dictator Rousopoulos." He claimed that a similar situation was evident in the European Parliament.
Regarding the European Court of Human Rights, Hajizada stated that it was illogical to expect Azerbaijan to comply with its rulings, as the country did not participate in the selection of the court’s judges. He argued that implementing the court’s decisions was therefore unfeasible under these circumstances.
Hajizada also noted that Rousopoulos had been placed on Azerbaijan’s blacklist, along with 76 other PACE members who had supported what he described as an unfair and legally questionable attempt to suspend the credentials of Azerbaijan’s PACE delegation. He concluded by emphasizing that if Rousopoulos attempted to enter Azerbaijan, he would be denied entry.
Notably, Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has referred to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as a "dictator." In response, Azerbaijan declared Rousopoulos and other PACE members "undesirable," stating that such actions further complicate Azerbaijan’s position within the Council of Europe.