According to Samed Seyidov, who is the Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliamentary Assembly to the PACE Azerbaijan joined the CoE for the following reasons (see the link and scroll down to read this quote):
We joined the Council of Europe not for the sake of membership. We joined the Council of Europe for the sake of democracy, human rights and supremacy of the law.
He then adds:
We will express our attitude openly if we see that any of these issues is used as a means of influence upon Azerbaijan's interests.
Here, you have said it yourself Mr. Seyidov, that Azerbaijan joined Council of Europe "for the sake of democracy, human rights and supremacy of law" but I am having hard time seeing any of these notions applied in Azerbaijan.
Where is democracy? Certainly its not in fake elections we have each time and more certainly its not in the way you treat your people when they protest on the streets. Or tell me, where is the human rights notion? Does it even exist in your vocabulary, because it looks like you use these words only when you want to and mostly for the internationals not the locals. Is it in the way you treat your journalists? Or anyone for that matter? Or tell me, what about supremacy of law? Is supremacy of law means that judges can be bought? Or does supremacy of law mean that they can imprison anyone they want just because someone "influential" demanded that person's arrest for the sake of their own personal happiness and comfort?
Ah, Mr. Seyidov, if only you really knew the meaning of these notions. Its a pity that such sacred and important notions have become a joke to you and people like you, who have no idea and no understanding whatsoever of what these notions really mean... Sad... Very sad...
2 comments:
so you realy think those notion are actually aplied in Europe? the fact that in Azerbaijan many issues are exposed does not mean that in Euope there is a certain respect for human rights, they just know how to hide it from the media. human rights and democracy are a joke to all the european leaders and they make arrests when some important country asks them to, or just to gain something personal, so don't speak like if Azerbaijan is doing something out of line because it is being done regularly, all the time.
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for taking the time and reading my blog. Thank you also for sharing your thoughts and leaving this comment.
As per my response- i didn't say that these notions are actually applied in Europe. Every country has its own perks. Some are bigger than the others. In Azerbaijan, as you would agree, things are not that great and don't look so bright.
Europe isn't crystal ball of cleanness either. There are its own rules, its own prejudices, its own issues.
Nobody is perfect. But it doesn't mean that countries like Azerbaijan and including Europe should not strive for becoming better. Wouldn't you agree? Or would you say its better to be how we are right now?
And though you say its done regularly everywhere, I am saying that we shouldn't be doing this regularly. I speak for Azerbaijan because I am from Azerbaijan and I want to be proud of my country. I want to speak of its developments, of the things my country has achieved rather than spill out all the dirty laundry.
And if one day this opportunity comes my way I am going to embrace it and cling to it as dearly as possible. Because thats the moment when I am going to be able tell the world of what my country has become. And that they should too strive in becoming better.
I am just open about whats happening and not hiding it. Just as I am open about my concerns and criticisms with regard to the European Union and the Council of Europe. As I said in the beginning, no one is perfect but it doesn't mean you shouldn't try to be perfect.
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