32% of Hungarians blame their country for Safarov pardon

PanARMENIAN.Net - According to the poll conducted in Hungary Sept 7-12, 64% of the surveyed were aware of extradition of Azeri criminal Ramil Safarov convicted for axe-murdering an Armenian officer, with 74% of them considering the issue highly important for the country.

59% of the respondents pointed to Azerbaijan as the sole country responsible for the occurred; 32% blamed the Hungarian government, while 9% refused to answer the questions, Nouvelles d'Arménie reported.

Ramil Safarov, the Azerbaijani army officer who was serving a life sentence in Hungary for axing to death Armenian Lt. Gurgen Margaryan, was extradited to Azerbaijan and pardoned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Official Yerevan reacted by suspending diplomatic ties with Hungary.

Hungary, however, states that it had sent Safarov back to Azerbaijan after receiving assurances from the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry that Safarov's sentence, which included the possibility of parole after 25 years, would be enforced.

According to some reports, Safarov was extradited to Azerbaijan in exchange for Azeri purchase of Hungarian securities worth euro 2-3 billion, an information official Budapest denies.

“Hungarian prime minister is “morally bankrupt” and should resign after admitting that he personally approved the transfer of the Azeri axe murderer while knowing the likely consequences,” the leader of the opposition Socialists said earlier.

Attila Mesterhazy said it was clear from Orban’s comments at a news conference on Tuesday September 11 that he had been aware that Azerbaijan would release the life-sentenced Ramil Safarov after his repatriation.