Business with Azerbaijan: Armenia criticized Switzerland

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Food first, morale second? Migros doesn’t have it. Officially, the company still boasts 15 theses from founders Gottlieb and Adele Duttweiler. Thesis No. 10: “The general interest should be prioritized over the interest of the Migros cooperative.” There is a huge gap between expectations and reality at Migros due to the ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, where Azerbaijan brutally attacked Armenians. A close business partner of Azerbaijani state company Socar is Migrolino AG, a 100 percent subsidiary of Migros. Signed a franchise agreement with Socar. There are Migrolino sales outlets at Socar gas stations.

In less than a week, more than 100,000 people fled Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. Migros still wants to maintain its commitment to Socar. Migros regrets the current developments in Nagorno-Karabakh. But the decisive factor is this: “Neither the Seco State Secretariat for Economic Affairs nor the Federal Council have currently decided on sanctions or coercive measures against Azerbaijan.”

Yerevan is angry

The good business between Azerbaijan and Switzerland is causing outrage in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan: “Responsibility for peace and stability also lies with commercial companies and companies,” a spokesperson for the Armenian Foreign Ministry tells SonntagsBlick. “We have clear and irrefutable evidence of a policy of ethnic cleansing and mass persecution. “Respect for human rights must take precedence over all commercial considerations.”

Swiss MPs also criticize the close relations between Baku and Bern. “Migros founder Gottlieb Duttweiler would turn in his grave,” says Central National Assembly Member Stefan Müller-Altermatt (47). He believes that Migros betrayed its ideals with its Socar business. Müller-Altermatt, together with Green Party politician Lisa Mazzone (35), introduced herself personally to Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (62) on 27 September. The conversation didn’t go well. In a letter to Cassis, available to SonntagsBlick, Mazzone and Müller-Altermatt followed suit. Left-wing warhorse Carlo Sommaruga (64) also signed the letter; just like Cassis’ Ticino FDP colleague Alex Farinelli (41).

Members of the federal parliament keep a low profile

“Switzerland must wake up from its inertia and condemn Azerbaijan’s military aggression and ethnic cleansing,” the parliamentarians write. “Switzerland must stop financing military attacks and ethnic cleansing from Switzerland.”

The requests were rejected by Ignazio Cassis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it will provide 1.5 million francs for humanitarian aid support in the region.

The Federal Office for Energy (BFE), which reports to Energy Minister Albert Rösti (56), did not want to reveal how important Azerbaijan is for the Swiss energy market. A publication from BFE shows that 5.8 percent of crude oil processed in Switzerland in 2022 will come from Azerbaijan. This means that Azerbaijan’s market share in Switzerland is significantly higher than that of European refineries; Azerbaijan’s share here is only 1.6 percent. Added to this is Azerbaijan’s lucrative gas business. Since Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the end of Russia’s Nord Stream deliveries, this has also brought great benefits to Baku.

Source :Blick