Italian lawmaker handed 4-year jail term for taking bribes from AzerbaijanJanuary 12, 2021 - 11:04 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Luca Volontè, former deputy and member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, was sentenced today in Milan to four years in prison taking bribes from Azerbaijan, La Repubblica reports. According to the indictment, he abused his power, receiving half a million euros from two Azerbaijani politicians to influence the vote and obtain the rejection of a report on political prisoners in the South Caucasus republic to the advantage of the Azerbaijani government. The so-called Straesser Report on the conditions of political prisoners in Azerbaijan was put to the vote in January 2013.(According to the investigation, Volontè, the then representative for Italy who finished his mandate that same year, was promised €10 million between 2012 and 2014 but ended receiving about €2.4 million (with the court managing to prove the fact of half a million euro bribe). It was revealed in 2017 that Azerbaijan's ruling elite operated a secret €2.5bn ($ 2.9 billion) slush fund to pay off European politicians and make luxury purchases. People said to have been paid include European politicians who adopted a favourable attitude to the government. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |