{"id":150899,"date":"2025-05-06T13:14:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T09:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abcmedia.am\/?p=150899"},"modified":"2025-05-06T13:50:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T09:50:58","slug":"eu-again-violating-its-own-values-in-relations-with-azerbaijan-says-oc-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abcmedia.am\/en\/politics\/150899\/","title":{"rendered":"EU again violating its own values \u200b\u200bin relations with Azerbaijan, says OC Media"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As noted, Azerbaijan, under the dynastic rule of Ilham Aliyev since 2003, is among the continent’s worst violators of human rights and press freedoms. Currently, 24 journalists are arbitrarily detained — the highest number since Aliyev’s ascent to power — including the editors-in-chief of two acclaimed dissident media, Sevinj Vagifgizi of Abzas Media and Aynur Ganbarova of Meydan TV.<\/p>\n

Official EU communications from Kallas’s visit highlight that ‘the EU is Azerbaijan’s largest trading partner and biggest investor’ — a fact that would suggest that it is Azerbaijan who should align with EU values for the sake of realpolitik. Yet, it is the other way around.<\/p>\n

The article notes economically, this partnership is mutually beneficial but also asymmetrical.<\/p>\n

While proponents of the relationship in Europe point to Azerbaijan’s role as a transit route for Central Asian oil and gas, and Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria admittedly rely on Azerbaijani gas, Azerbaijan itself only accounts for roughly 3% of the EU’s total gas imports. For Azerbaijan, hydrocarbons constitute approximately 90% of export earnings and are the lifeblood of the regime’s stability. Critics argue that Europe is effectively substituting one autocratic supplier with another, but EU leaders justify it as a necessary compromise for energy security and a hedge against Russian energy blackmail.<\/p>\n

The EU states this is ‘a relationship to grow based on mutual respect’, indicating a troubling respect for Azerbaijan’s red lines, particularly its freedom to ruthlessly suppress the values the EU professes to hold dear.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"