Is Azerbaijan involved in the bribery and corruption scandal again?

The Munich Prosecutor's Office in Germany has brought charges against two former Christian Democratic Union (CDU) deputies, Axel Fischer and Eduard Lintner, for allegedly accepting bribes from the Azerbaijani government, as reported by Der Spiegel, a renowned German weekly magazine. The accusations extend to another CDU member, the late Karin Strenz, who passed away in 2021.

Lintner is alleged to have received funds from Azerbaijani authorities and passed them on to fellow deputies, including Strenz. The exchange, according to prosecutors, involved making decisions in favor of Azerbaijan, particularly within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).at Strenz agreed to act "in accordance with Azerbaijan's expectations." Fischer faces similar charges, dating back

nancial rewards. This allegedly included delivering positive speeches, sharing confidential information, and influencing votes.

It is reported that Fischer received a bribe of 150,000 euros for Karin Strenz and had received previous bribes from Azerbaijan. Frank Schwabe, a PACE deputy from Germany, commented on Facebook, expressing surprise at the substantial sum involved and questioning the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Germany, Nasimi Aghayev, about the potential payment.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has yet to provide an official statement on the matter. Nahid Jafarov, a former diplomat, said in the "Difficult Question" program that the information is most likely accurate. He speculates that the timing of these revelations may be linked to the absence of Russia in PACE, making it difficult for Azerbaijan and Armenia to jointly resist demands. With Russia removed from PACE and a change in power in Ukraine, Azerbaijan's maneuverability has diminished, leading to increased pressure from the organization.

Jafarov acknowledges that corruption scandals involving European diplomats may have intensified dissatisfaction with Azerbaijan's actions. However, he also points to the geopolitical alignment with Russia as a potential factor contributing to Western pressure. He suggests that if there is external pressure on Azerbaijan, it may be a consequence of the country's geopolitical choice favoring Russia, exemplified by growing authoritarianism within Azerbaijan.