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BRATISLAVA — Slovak President Peter Pellegrini’s state visit to Azerbaijan has reopened a debate in Slovakia over the relationship between diplomatic relations, historical memory, and the protection of human rights in the South Caucasus.
The issue was raised by former Slovak Prime Minister Ján Čarnogurský, who, in a letter dated August 28, 2026, addressed to Pellegrini, expressed his regret over the tone of the public statements made during the visit and what he considers insufficient attention to the humanitarian consequences of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
According to Čarnogurský, the protection of human rights should remain a central element of Slovak foreign policy, in line with the principles that Bratislava also supports within the framework of the European Union.
The Exodus of the Armenian Population
In the letter, the former prime minister refers to the long history of the conflict surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and, in particular, to the events of 2023, when Azerbaijan regained control of the region following a military operation.
Čarnogurský points out that more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians left Nagorno-Karabakh in the weeks following the operation. The exodus has been extensively documented by international organizations and humanitarian sources.
In his assessment, concerns about security and the absence of guarantees considered sufficient by the Armenian population contributed significantly to the decision to leave the region.
The former prime minister also notes that, in his view, the question of a possible return of Armenians remains unresolved and represents one of the most sensitive aspects of the conflict’s aftermath.
The Reference to the Memory of the Armenian Genocide
Čarnogurský also refers to the particularly close relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey, often described by the two countries through the formula “one nation, two states.”
The letter also recalls the recognition of the Armenian genocide of 1915 by the Slovak Parliament. Čarnogurský emphasizes that Turkey and Azerbaijan do not share this historical interpretation, and believes that this element of historical memory should have received greater attention in the context of the visit.
He stresses that this is a particularly sensitive issue for part of Armenian society and for the historical relations in the region.
The Štefánik School in Aghdam
Another point raised in the letter concerns the inauguration in Aghdam of a school named after General Milan Rastislav Štefánik, a prominent figure in Slovak history.
Čarnogurský does not question the value of the tribute to Štefánik, but invites consideration of the historical context of the city.
According to his account, Aghdam played a significant military role during the conflict and, at various times, was involved in military operations connected with the Nagorno-Karabakh war.
For this reason, the former prime minister believes that symbolic initiatives by the Slovak Presidency should be accompanied by greater attention to the historical and political context in which they are carried out.
The Request Concerning the Detained Former Leaders
The most concrete part of the letter concerns former political and military representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh currently detained in Azerbaijan.
Čarnogurský names Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Ruben Vardanyan, Davit Babayan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Manukyan, and Levon Mnatsakanyan.
The former prime minister asks Pellegrini to use his diplomatic channels to approach Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and urge him to grant pardons to the detainees.
The proposal also includes a possible subsequent solution: their expulsion from Azerbaijan and possible admission to Slovakia, including through the granting of some form of international protection, if provided for and considered legally applicable by the Slovak authorities.
A Diplomatic Proposal Addressed to Bratislava
Čarnogurský’s request represents a political and diplomatic initiative, not an official position of the Slovak government.
The former prime minister believes that Bratislava can use its relations with Baku to promote a humanitarian solution to the detainees’ situation. In his view, Slovak intervention could also help strengthen the country’s role in addressing the consequences of the conflict in the South Caucasus.
The letter therefore presents President Pellegrini with a delicate question: how to reconcile the development of diplomatic and economic relations with Azerbaijan with attention to human rights and the humanitarian issues that remain connected to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
For Čarnogurský, the answer should consist of a concrete diplomatic initiative concerning the fate of the detained former leaders.
His proposal thus opens another chapter in the Slovak debate on foreign policy: maintaining a pragmatic approach to relations with Baku while, according to the former prime minister, not giving up the possibility of raising humanitarian and human rights issues through diplomatic channels.
