Crying facts of dozens of PACE officials being corrupt are not new, Armenian MP Naira Zohrabyan, a member of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), told Tert.am.

Not only PACE delegates, but also PACE President Pedro Agramunt are among them, Ms Zohrabyan said, as she commented on a report by the European Stability Initiative (ESI).

In this context, Ms Zohrabyan said that it was no coincidence that the PACE president switched off the microphones during Armenian delegate’s speeches at the PACE session this October. The Armenian delegates spoke of Luca Volonte (former member, PACE), who received €3 million from the Azerbaijani delegates.

“That process aroused concerns not only in Italy, but also in a number of European states. According to the information at my disposal, numerous EU member-states are concerned with the matter and are holding discussions because Volonte named members of other delegations involved in this corruption scandal caused by Azerbaijan. Volonte received the principal sum in Azerbaijan for torpedoing a report on political prisoners at PACE. Yes, PACE President Pedro Agramunt is actively involved in that,” Ms Zohrabyan said.

Zohrabyan did not rule out the possibility of impeaching Pedro Argamunts based on the report. He expressed the Armenian delegation’s resolute willingness to back any initiative bringing to light the Azerbaijani lobbyists in the Assembly. 

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2016/12/19/EXXV/2228266