Azerbaijan’s ruling New Azerbaijan Party has boycotted the Republic of Türkiye, Ganimeh Zahidov, editor-in-chief of the opposition newspaper Azadlig, has reported. According to him, the party did not attend an official reception organized by the Turkish Embassy, while New Azerbaijan Party lawmakers were explicitly barred from attending by parliament.
The only Azerbaijani official to attend the event was the Minister of Communications, who left the ceremony immediately after delivering his speech.
According to Azerbaijani media outlets, Baku’s behavior was prompted by the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s refusal of a request from the Azerbaijani Embassy. The diplomatic mission had asked for symbolic landmarks in Türkiye to be illuminated in the colors of the Azerbaijani flag to mark Azerbaijan’s Independence Day, but the request was rejected.
