BAKU: Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has issued a strong rebuke against European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit, describing his recent statements at the European Parliament as biased and unfounded. The Ministry’s spokesperson, Aykhan Hajizada, conveyed the government’s disapproval, emphasizing that the accusations made against Azerbaijan were baseless and detrimental to Azerbaijan-European Union relations.

According to Trend News Agency, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry criticized the statement, which was reportedly prepared by the European External Action Service (EEAS), as being completely detached from reality. The Ministry rejected claims regarding the prosecution of Azerbaijani citizens for their political beliefs and denied allegations of politically motivated criminal proceedings against individuals identifying as journalists or human rights advocates.

The Azerbaijani response highlighted perceived hypocrisy in the European Union’s approach, pointing to what it described as sy
stemic human rights issues within EU member states, rising Islamophobia, and neo-colonial policies. Furthermore, the Ministry condemned the European Commissioner’s comments on human rights issues in Azerbaijan, especially in light of historical conflicts with Armenia and ongoing peace efforts.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also criticized attempts to connect the upcoming 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) to politically motivated issues unrelated to climate change. The Ministry called on the European Parliament and the EU to reconsider their stance, which it claimed undermines peace and stability in the region.