Azerbaijani president says European Parliament a ‘nest of corrupt figures’

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday said the European Parliament is a "nest of corrupt figures."

In remarks during a meeting with participants of international conferences held in the capital Baku, which his office published, Aliyev said his country tried to convey its voice in all European organizations throughout the 30-year period of Armenia's occupation of its Karabakh region.

But, he said, they "maligned us, tarnished our reputation," and that this continues through a "dirty Western media campaign."

Aliyev said that while Armenia has not been sanctioned by the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan has been slapped with sactions after it liberated its territories in September 2023.

"Look, this is their true face. The European Parliament is a nest of corrupt figures. I say this with full responsibility: the European Parliament is a nest of corrupt figures," Aliyev said.

According to Aliyev, "millions of dollars in suitcases" were found in the house of the European Parliament's vice-president. "They covered it all up, as if it had never happened."

He described the vice-president as a "female deputy from Greece," saying no measures were taken against her and that she was later released.

"Look, the European Parliament consists of these Islamophobes, and this must always remain in focus," the Azerbaijani president said, adding that an "undeclared war" is being waged against their religion and against the Islamic world, with Islamophobia making up a small part of this.

Aliyev described efforts to discredit the Muslim world, equating it with "terrorism" and committing insulting acts against their values and the Quran as a "targeted policy," calling for unity against these actions.

"This call for unity is not merely a slogan. This is what we have faced-that is, over 30 years, both from a territorial point of view, as our territory was under occupation, and from a political point of view, as Azerbaijan is one of the very few Muslim countries participating in European organizations," Aliyev said.

"As a member of the Council of Europe, we faced these injustices, we face them and we likely will face them. This undeclared smear campaign against us will never stop. Why? Because we do not and will not bow before anyone.

"We speak our mind, we protect our national dignity and we protect our way of life. We do not allow certain trends alien to our people and religion to take root in Azerbaijan. We are guardians of morality," Aliyev added.