Parliament to sanction nine MEPs over Azeri mission

EurActiv reported on the 11 February 2014 that the European Parliament's ethics committee was set to censure a group of nine lawmakers who were suspected of accepting favours from Azerbaijan during an electoral observation mission there in October 2013.

Kriistina Ojuland (ALDE, Estonia), Jacek Włosowicz (EFD, Poland), Slavi Binev (EFD, Bulgaria), Jirí Maštálka (GUE/NGL, Czech Republic), Ivo Vajgl (ALDE, Slovenia), Alexandra Thein (ALDE, Germany), Hannu Takkula (ALDE, Finland), Oleg Valjalo (S&D, Croatia) and Nick Griffin (non-attached, UK), all flew to Azerbaijan in October 2013 to monitor the Presidential election.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Azerbaijani presidential elections, 2013 http://www.europeansources.info/record/azerbaijani-presidential-elections-2013/

European Parliament: Election Observation http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/election_observation/default_en.htm

European Voice, 17.10.13: European Parliament goes soft on flawed Azerbaijan election http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/european-parliament-goes-soft-on-flawed-azerbaijan-election/78478.aspx

BBC News, 17.10.13: European MPs' praise for Azerbaijan election sparks row http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24573024

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