Marina Kaljurand, the chair of the European parliament’s delegation for relations with the south Caucasus, has said she sees two trends as “very disturbing”: ethnic Armenians fearfully wanting to leave Nagorno-Karabakh and anti-government demonstrations in Armenia.
In a phone interview with the Guardian, Kaljurand expressed concern about the situation facing Armenians in the area. “I understand their fear,” she said, adding that she hoped humanitarian organisations would be able to access the region.
Speaking of protests in Yerevan against Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, Kaljurand – an Estonian member of the Socialists and Democrats group – said the Armenian leader “has made it very clear that he does not see the future of his country with Russia” and “wants western orientation”.
Europe, she said, should step up to support the Armenian government.
