European Parliament adopted on Thursday resolution titled “Azerbaijan: the case of Ramil Safarov”.

The motion for the resolution was submitted by five political groups. The document deplores the decision by the President of Azerbaijan to pardon Ramil Safarov.

During the debates majority of speakers stressed that pardoning Safarov is against the spirit of the European convention. They also deplored making a hero of murderer Ramil Safarov. For instance, MP Jaroslaw Paska called the decision “a shock for civilized world”

Speaking during the debate, MP Ulrike Lunacek said Hungary’s government has its share of responsibility and Premier Orban ignored the warnings of his government. She stressed Premier made an economic deal to help his country come out of the crisis.

Jaroslaw Paska also stressed that Safarov killed Armenian officer not in battlefield but during NATO-sponsored seminar.

However, several MPs said they would vote against as the resolution might escalate situation in the region and will damage the Karabakh peace process.

Parliament deplored the pardon granted by President Aliyev of Azerbaijan to Ramil Safarov. MEPs fear this could further inflame tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia and jeopardise “all peaceful reconciliation processes.”

They said the “legitimate frustration in Azerbaijan and Armenia” at the lack of substantial progress in the peace process in Nagorno-Karabakh “does not justify either acts of revenge or futile provocations.” They called on the EU to play a stronger role in the settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Parliament also said the association agreement under negotiation between the EU and Azerbaijan should include human rights and rule-of-law clauses and benchmarks.