On April 3, the European Parliament held a session marking the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, drawing attention to the forced deportation of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, the EAFJD has announced on its website.
Many MEPs drew direct parallels between the historical tragedy and the events of recent years, emphasizing the dangerous consequences of Turkey and Azerbaijan’s failure to bear historical responsibility.
“Recognition and reconciliation require courage to confront the past and build the future on historical truth. This is especially important today, when hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijani atrocities,” said MEP Miriam Lexmann.
Yannis Maniatis of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament recalled his family’s tragic experience in the Ottoman Empire.
“The lack of memory and recognition leads to the repetition of the past. The events in Nagorno-Karabakh are a painful reminder,” he stressed.
MEP Nicolas Bey criticized the ongoing policies of Turkey and Azerbaijan, noting that Turkey has been trying to annex Armenian lands for 110 years. He also called on the EU to increase pressure on Turkey to acknowledge its past crimes.
MEP Markéta Gregorová mentioned, “The EU cannot continue to turn a blind eye when it suits its interests. Let’s support Armenia, the last democracy in the region,” she added.
MEPs also criticized the EU’s continued cooperation with Azerbaijan, especially regarding gas supplies and the maintenance of the memorandum of understanding signed with Baku.
“Genocide denial should not be tolerated. The denial has a direct relation to the injustices and violence of our time,” said Marie Toussaint, emphasizing that history is repeating itself, this time in different ways but with the same impunity.
The EAFJD organization thanked those European parliamentarians who honored the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide and, at the same time, raised the protection of the rights of Armenians forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.
The organization’s president also criticized the EU executive for not using the term “genocide” and not showing due respect.
The European legislators reaffirmed that the ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh is unacceptable and called on the EU to adopt a principled foreign policy that prioritizes human rights and international law over economic interests.
