President Aliyev’s remarks calling European politicians “corrupt” spark debate — social media erupts

During a meeting with participants of international conferences in Baku on September 15, President Ilham Aliyev openly criticized the European Parliament, calling it a “nest of corrupt figures.”

The head of state made the remarks during a meeting with the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States and a group of religious leaders. He referred in particular to the cash found in suitcases at the home of the European Parliament’s then-vice president, saying the case had been covered up and that no real accountability had followed.

Aliyev was referring directly to the Qatargate scandal.

The case concerns raids carried out by Belgian police in December 2022 at the home of Eva Kaili, a Greek member of the European Parliament who was then one of its vice-presidents, as well as at other locations. Around €1.5 million in cash was reportedly seized during the operation, with some of the money found in suitcases and bags.

Kaili was removed from her position as vice-president and expelled from her political group.

Despite the passage of several years, the President argued that the case had not been properly concluded and that the individual involved had been released.

In the same speech, the head of state also referred to the position taken by European institutions on the Karabakh issue.

He recalled that no sanctions had been imposed on Armenia during the 30-year period of occupation, while steps were taken against Azerbaijan after it restored its territorial integrity in 2023. He described this as a clear example of double standards.

The statement also spread rapidly across foreign social media platforms. In particular, users from Russia, Türkiye, Georgia and other countries shared Aliyev’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter) and expressed support.

A number of Russian-origin accounts directly quoted the statement, focusing on the reference to “millions of dollars in suitcases” and arguing that the Qatargate case had gone unpunished.

Various social media accounts described the statement as a “bold speech.”

Georgian media outlets and social media users also highlighted Aliyev’s arguments regarding Karabakh, with the remarks receiving extensive coverage on television and online platforms.

Some Western users also reacted to the statement, raising questions about accountability within the European Parliament. They pointed to the lack of what they viewed as sufficient consequences from the Qatargate scandal and argued that powerful institutions should be subject to the same standards of accountability.

The view that “corruption allegations should be investigated regardless of where they occur” was repeated across various posts.

Jala Rovshan