Viktor Yengibaryan has been chairman of European Movement in Armenia since 2005. His background is in sociology and international relations and he works at the German cooperation company as international advisor.

– European Movement of Armenia today issued a press release sending messages on EC, EU and International European Movement. Mr. Yengibaryan, what response from EU would you consider appropriate?
– European Union must freeze collaboration with Azerbaijan forcing that sate to jail the murderer. By pardoning and glorifying that person, Azerbaijan’s president encourages the phenomenon. Aliev must be banned from entry to EU just like Lukashenko. Also all EU projects and offices must be put on hold.
European Council on the other hand must seriously reconsider Azerbaijan’s membership and exercise pressure on their authorities.
We, as civil society, have to raise this issues on political and social levels in Europe.
International European Movement involves membership among 40 international organizations, including trade, educational, youth and other kind of organizations. Another member is European Democratic Party – Europe’s leading party. Thus we believe our message will reach very important platforms.

– You mentioned that you will not attend an event in Azerbaijan. What event is that?
– We had agreed with our Azerbaijani, Georgian and other colleagues to encourage peace among nations. We clearly realize there are no benefits from a conflict. However we froze our participation to Baku, where an international level murderer is praised as hero. If the European Movement further supports us and condemns Azerbaijani step, we may reconsider.

– What steps are necessary now?
– RA President issued clear directives in his speech and I share the ideas. We also support the freeze of relations with Hungary.
Let us not forget that the Armenian community in Hungary is quite strong and is represented in government. And Hungarian government is by no means Europe’s pet. We need to urge the resignation of the Hungarian government. Armenian Diaspora has a role to play on the international level.
We also can’t forget that Hungarians are a friendly nation and our ties date back in centuries. SO we believe it gives no grace to burn flags. It’s not an honourable act and doesn’t worthy of us. Our steps must be clever, calculated and clear for international community.

Nune Hovsepyan
Source, iravaban.net