Miriam Lexmann, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Armenia, has expressed concern over European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kallas’s visit to Baku just ahead of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

According to Armenpress, Lexmann voiced hope that the visit would be used to push for the release of Armenian captives held unlawfully in Azerbaijan.

“Given that EU High Representative Kaya Kallas is visiting Azerbaijan on the eve of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I sincerely hope this tragic anniversary serves as an opportunity to secure the release of all political prisoners and Armenians illegally detained,” Lexmann emphasized.

Prior to this, several European Parliament members and lawmakers from various European countries criticized Kallas’s planned visit. They claimed she chose to visit authoritarian Azerbaijan while sidestepping Armenia, a nation that aligns with European democratic values and continues to face threats from Baku.

Kaya Kallas is already in Baku, where she has held meetings with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and President Ilham Aliyev. According to Azerbaijani media, the discussions included the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.