Baku: The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has expressed strong condemnation of the Corsican Assembly’s preliminary legislative initiative regarding the so-called “Artsakh Republic” and Armenian citizens facing criminal prosecution in Azerbaijan, as per a statement released by BIG, APA reports.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the statement describes the Corsican Assembly’s actions as one-sided, politically motivated, and provocative. It asserts that the initiative contradicts principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states, while also aligning with geopolitical narratives from official Paris.
BIG further criticized the supporters of this initiative, suggesting that their actions do not represent an independent expression of the Corsican people’s political will. Instead, it argues that they are acting as instruments of France’s foreign policy, prioritizing Paris’s agenda over Corsica’s national interests, culture, and identity.
The statement highlights the inconsistency in the approach of these political circles, noting their advocacy for self-determination abroad while neglecting the linguistic and political rights of the Corsican people. It references Article 2 of the French Constitution, which establishes French as the sole official language of the Republic, and notes that French judicial authorities have overridden attempts to recognize Corsican as an official language in the Corsican Assembly and Executive.
Further, the statement points out that although France signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 1999, it has yet to ratify it, despite the Council of Europe’s recognition of Corsican as a historical regional language under the Charter.
BIG poses several questions to the Corsican Assembly, challenging their subordination to a state that does not grant institutional recognition to the Corsican language and questioning their lack of opposition to centralizing policies from Paris. It accuses them of ignoring the impact of French policies on Corsican identity and decision-making while invoking decolonization rhetoric elsewhere.
BIG distinguishes between the Corsican people and those serving French government interests, advocating for representatives who protect the Corsican language and culture, and who consistently defend Corsica’s political future. The group calls on the Corsican Assembly to prioritize the unresolved rights of the Corsican people and demands full institutional recognition of the Corsican language, guarantees for its use in education and public life, ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, and protection of Corsican identity and culture.
Lastly, BIG urges the Corsican Assembly to maintain its political and institutional independence, emphasizing the need for it to defend the rights of the Corsican people rather than support policies that undermine Corsica’s identity and aspirations.