Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis voted on Friday (1 May) to suspend cooperation with the European Parliament across all areas, escalating tensions after lawmakers in Baku accused the chamber of sustained bias.

The decision was announced during Friday’s plenary session after a special parliamentary commission was established to prepare a formal response to what officials described as the European Parliament’s “hostile activities” towards Azerbaijan.

Scope of suspended cooperation

Under the adopted resolution:

• Cooperation with the European Parliament is suspended in all areas
• Participation in the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee is terminated
• Steps are initiated to end membership in Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
• Azerbaijani representatives will not participate in Euronest activities during the transition period

The draft resolution was later approved in a plenary vote.

Parliamentary reaction and statements

Milli Majlis Speaker Sahiba Gafarova stated that relations with the European Parliament had previously been suspended due to biased documents, before being restored in 2016.

“Unfortunately, the past 10 years have shown that the European Parliament has no intention of abandoning its biased activity against Azerbaijan,” she said.

Gafarova added that Azerbaijan’s restoration of its territorial integrity had only intensified criticism from the chamber.

Former deputy speaker Ziyafat Askerov was appointed head of the commission that prepared the decision.

Political context

The decision follows a recent European Parliament resolution on Azerbaijan and ongoing disputes between Baku and Brussels related to human rights, regional developments, and the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.

Some MPs argued that the European Parliament has shifted from an impartial institution to a politically biased body.

MP Elnara Akimova described the move as: “not an emotional step, but a political response to a long-accumulated pattern of injustice.”

She added that selective approaches and double standards are incompatible with international law and European values.

• Read more: South Caucasus peace process enters fragile phase amid EU pressures
• EU resolution on Armenia raises concerns amid fragile South Caucasus peace process

Cause for response

The move comes days after claims by Minval Politika that former Luis Moreno Ocampo discussed efforts to influence European policy towards Azerbaijan through political contacts and pressure campaigns.

• Read more: Minval Politika alleges Ocampo campaign targeted Azerbaijan and Armenia’s internal politics

The establishment of the commission also follows a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 30 April concerning Azerbaijan, adding to a series of recent disputes between Baku and Brussels over human rights, regional politics, and the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.

• Read more: External pressure from Europe complicates Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process

The suspension of ties marks one of the sharpest institutional ruptures between Azerbaijan’s parliament and the European Parliament in recent years.

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News Politics Azerbaijan Milli Majlis EU European Parliament European Comission South Caucasus Armenia Peace Efforts Normalisation process