The European Stability Initiative (ESI) independent think tank has requested the resignation of Spanish Pedro Agramunt, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the senator from the People’s Party, representing the autonomous region of Valencia, a journalist José Ignacio Torreblanca wrote in an article “Caviar diplomacy from Valencia to Azerbaijan” in the Spanish El Pais. Translation of the article is published in InoSMI.

Explaining what exactly Senator Agramunt is being accused of, the journalist wrote:

“In order to see the complete picture, it is better to read the following two reports: ‘Caviar diplomacy, or how Azerbaijan has silenced the Council of Europe’, presented in May 2012, and ‘Portrait of Deception: how Azerbaijan was monitored or why Agramunt must leave office’, on January 22, 2013. When it comes to essentials, the ESI suggests that Senator Agramunt being Rapporteur on democracy and human rights in Azerbaijan, for which he was appointed by the European public, became one of the main lobbyists of the Aliyev regime in Europe."

Further, the author of the article points that all international organizations consider Azerbaijan not free country:

“After independence, it was headed by Heydar Aliyev. When Heyday Aliyev died, the post was occupied by his son, Ilham Aliyev, who won the 2003 election with ‘with absolutely no doubts’ getting 88.73% of the vote. When his second term came to an end in March 2009, Aliyev Jr. called a referendum on changes to the Constitution, in which 92% of voters said they will be glad to review the Constitution in order for Ilham Aliyev to remain in power as he wishes.”

ESI accuses Agramunt of manipulating the reports of the observers from the field, cover-ups of violations of civil rights, the continued support of the regime, for inventing tales about a “progress of democracy,” justifying repression by linking it to the Islamist threat. Finally, Agramunt is accused in lobbying the Aliyev regime, by blocking sanctions against Azerbaijan.