ArmInfo. The European Commission continues to label Azerbaijan as a reliable EU trading partner. On June 5, 2024, Cristina Lobillo Borrero, Director of Energy Policy at the European Commission, reportedly stated at the Baku Energy Forum that Azerbaijan is a very reliable partner for the EU so that the EU is not dependent on Russian gas. On June 13, 2024, Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary General of the European Diplomatic Service, emphasized that Azerbaijan is a valuable and reliable partner of the EU. He stated this at a security dialogue between the EU and Azerbaijan.
Following these statements, Bert-Jan Ruissen, Member of the European Parliament on behalf of the SGP, asked these written questions to the EU foreign policy chief:
1. Does the European Union regard Azerbaijan as a normal partner for the EU in all respects, taking into account the hundreds of political prisoners, dozens of Armenian hostages, the mocking of the EU by senior officials in Baku, the threats against the members of the European Parliament and EU observers, the close ties with Russia, the authoritarian nature of the country, the poor human rights record, the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 and the occupation of the territory of Armenia and the threats against the Armenian government?
2. Are there limits to the EU's policy of reconciliation with the regime in Baku?
3. How reliable are reports that Russian gas is being smuggled to the EU via Azerbaijan?
