Why has EU policy fared so poorly in Azerbaijan, and what can the EU do to break the current deadlock in contractual negotiations and stop the crackdown on media and civil society in Azerbaijan? In the run-up to the Baku 2015 European Games in June, this policy brief critically evaluates the shortcomings of the EU's approach so far. The author presents and assesses the respective positions of Azerbaijan and the EU and offers recommendations for a more solid EU policy to address the repressive developments in Azerbaijan; an approach that corresponds to both the Union’s normative goals and its pragmatic interests.
Gela Merabishvili is a Research Assistant at the Centre for European Policy Studies.
