A group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) visited the protest tent set up in Yerevan’s Freedom Square on April 16 and met with members of the Council for the Protection of the Rights of Artsakh Armenians.

“Azerbaijan’s main victim has been the people of Artsakh. The 1915 genocide still continues. Azerbaijan is more than an aggressor. The closer we get to a peace agreement, the more new preconditions Azerbaijan introduces to change its terms. There is an aggressor state, which is Azerbaijan, and a victim state, which is Armenia,” said French MEP Nicolas Bay, as reported by Aravot.

Bay emphasized that within European Union institutions, they are ready to raise their voices in defense of the rights of displaced Artsakh Armenians.

“But France alone cannot be the only country to speak out across the European Union. Other EU member states must not turn their backs on Armenia and must help find proper solutions, especially given their economic and political ties with Azerbaijan,” he added.

He also stated that it is a priority for Armenia to be able to defend its own territory in the face of potential military threats.

Artak Beglaryan, former State Minister and Ombudsman of Artsakh, who also attended the meeting, said that the Council for the Protection of Artsakh Armenians continues its negotiations with the Armenian government to address the demands outlined in its petition. He also shared recent developments and discussions held in Freedom Square.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale assault on Artsakh, heavily shelling the region. On September 20, the local authorities agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the Russian peacekeeping mission, accepting Baku’s terms: the disarmament of the Defense Army and the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. Mass displacement began on September 24, with over 100,000 people forcibly relocated to Armenia. Only around 20 Armenians are believed to remain in Artsakh. On September 28, President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree on the dissolution of Artsakh, effective January 1, 2024.