Euronest PA session opens in Yerevan, no Azeri representatives present

 March 16, 2015 - 14:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Euronest has opened its Inter-Parliamentary Assembly’s fourth plenary session in Yerevan, bringing together representatives from Eastern Partnership (EaP) Civil Society Platforms and NGOs.

No Azerbaijani representatives were present at the meeting, Tert.am reports.

An opening remark was delivered by Euronest Vice President Hiedi Hautala, who greeted and thanked the participants for organizing the event. The session is conducted by Richard Giragosian, the director of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center.

In his speech, Krzysztof Bobinski, a co-chair of the EaP Civil Society Forum, welcomed the civil society building efforts in different countries. He noted with regret that no Azerbaijani members of the Assembly were in attendance but expressed hope that the time will come when the country will no longer hesitate to send delegates to Armenia and will become developed enough not to have political prisoners in its penitentiary institutions. He also said he expects the authorities in Armenia to reach the necessary level of understanding to never turn a blind eye to civic activists.

He also spoke of Armenia’s elections, noting that election rigging causes damage to the European Union, European structures and dignity.

Georgia’s representative, member of the Open Society Foundations Vano Chkhikvadze spoke of his country’s strong and weak points. Georgia had adopted a bill prohibiting any discrimination in visa facilitation, which is an important step toward further democratization.

Chkhikvadze said that Georgia has made progress in freedom of speech. On the other hand, the country still has to make progress in the appointment of judges. The country lacks mechanisms of investigating abuse by law-enforcement agencies. He further welcomed progress in Georgian-Russia relations.

“Relations with Russia seem to be in the process of re-establishment. But I do not see Georgia is sacrificing anything to re-establish relations with Russia,” he said.

Georgia’s ruling coalition insists that Georgia’s full integration into NATO and the EU is impossible.