Osman Elmaci deprived of seat in European parliament over Armenian Genocide denial
The Christian-Democrat party in the Netherlands, the CDA (Christian Democrat Appel), has announced that Mr. Osman Elmaci has been turned down from having a seat in the European Parliament due to his attitude toward and his remarks denying the Armenian Genocide.
The European Armenian Federation reported that Mr. Elmaci, who had already been ousted from the last legislative elections for the same reasons, was the number three person behind the current MEP Joop Post, who has resigned. He was to become a Member of the European Parliament after the withdrawal of Mr. Bartho Pronk's candidacy. CDA leaders, already having a past record of principled stance against genocide denial, vetoed this possibility. Mr. Post will finally be replaced by Mr. Cornelis Visseur.
"We congratulate the CDA party for this courageous and visionary political decision. Denial - under the pretext of 'freedom of expression' - can only serve to perpetuate the racial hatred from which it derives," declared Laurent Leylekian, Executive Director of the European Armenian Federation.
The European Armenian Federation reported that Mr. Elmaci, who had already been ousted from the last legislative elections for the same reasons, was the number three person behind the current MEP Joop Post, who has resigned. He was to become a Member of the European Parliament after the withdrawal of Mr. Bartho Pronk's candidacy. CDA leaders, already having a past record of principled stance against genocide denial, vetoed this possibility. Mr. Post will finally be replaced by Mr. Cornelis Visseur.
"We congratulate the CDA party for this courageous and visionary political decision. Denial - under the pretext of 'freedom of expression' - can only serve to perpetuate the racial hatred from which it derives," declared Laurent Leylekian, Executive Director of the European Armenian Federation.
