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“In fact, this is nothing more than a trial against Azerbaijan – of course, figuratively, not in a legal sense,” Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday, commenting on the fresh corruption scandal around Azerbaijan’s ruling elite, which operated a secret $2.9bn (£2.2bn) scheme to pay prominent Europeans, buy luxury goods and launder money through a network of opaque British companies.

The deputy FM noted that what is happening today throughout Europe – investigations, criminal proceedings – come to prove that Europe has already run out of patience.

“People are weak: even MPs, officials in the heart of Europe cannot resist this temptation. There is a very interesting pattern here: these are those lawmakers whose term in office expires soon and they cannot regain it anymore. Anyways, it is a disgrace, a slap to entire Europe,” the official noted.

According to him, it is no accident that Azerbaijan’s response is the same – the Armenians have done it. “Whatever happens, they put the blame on Armenians,” Mr. Kocharyan highlighted.

“They say the Aliyev family has nothing to do with it. Meantime they do not deny that all of this has happened. This is noted in their official response. This means in that state, where everything is controlled, $3bn was taken out without their knowledge, which is absurd in itself,” the deputy FM said.

Asked whether the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) can be deprived of its mandate, Mr. Kocharyan said: “I believe that process will gradually develop.”