The politics of the oil-rich country were also being debated in the European parliament, when MEPs voted to set up a corruption investigation by 349 votes to 290, with 42 abstentions. “Following the recent ‘Azerbaijani Laundromat’ revelations, attempts by Azerbaijan and other autocratic regimes in third countries to influence European decision-makers through illicit means [the European parliament] calls for a comprehensive parliament investigation,” the text stated. The amendment was tacked on a report on corruption and human rights in non-EU countries. Failure to set up an investigation would damage the credibility of the European parliament, which struggles to make its voice heard on foreign policy, where it has limited powers. Destexhe is the author of a Pace report on human rights in Azerbaijan that has been criticised for not mentioning corruption.

Source: The Guardian September 13, 2017 17:53 UTC